Cursed
by Wheezambu
Summary: [Complete]Kagome Higurashi starts high school at Furinkan High where she meets and becomes friends with Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome. If only she hadn't brought that jewel shard with her, they might never have found out about Ranma's demon heritage
1. Chapter 1, Prologue

PROLOGUE  
  
The demon lord stood alone on a windswept hill, watching as the scouting party he'd sent out days earlier made their slow way back to him. His expression was somber as their mission had been a successful one and they had brought in the renegade, alive as requested. Slowly, his heart heavy with a regret he couldn't afford to acknowledge, he turned and went down to meet the returning men.  
  
Five days ago they'd taken this territory back from the rebellious clans, a bloody and tenacious battle had been fought at the foot of these mountains. He himself had led his army into battle and again they had made him fiercely proud. He was pleased to see that his training and leadership had begun to show their benefits. Their losses had been insignificant compared to the rebels. It was bitter moment for him still, not all of his losses had been counted in lives. His eyes met those of his lieutenant briefly before the man turned away out of respect for what his lord must be feeling.  
  
Umani saluted his lord, dropping to one knee and bowing his head in what was custom for one of his clan to acknowledge his commander. He did not want to meet his lord's gaze as he knew the moment had to be painful. He wished again that he had not been successful, but his lord had known what to expect when he sent out his best tracker after the renegade. "We have brought him in alive, sire."  
  
"I can see that," his lord said softly. Umani had been his service for many years, in private, they could dispense with formalities and treat each other as the cousins they were. He rose slowly, averting his gaze out of respect was the least he could offer his general, a man he considered to be a friend. He sensed that his lord would be comforted if they kept the report formal, but he couldn't be entirely sure. No matter how he phrased it, the report was a death sentence for the prisoner.  
  
"Sire," he began, keeping his voice dutiful and emotionless. "We tracked our quarry for two days and two nights before capture. He attempted to elude us by destroying two human settlements in order to cover his trail. I apologize, sire, I was unable to get an accurate count of the casualties as there was no one left alive or recognizable. On the third day of our pursuit we managed to pick up his trail. As you had predicted, my lord, he was trying to reach his home territory ahead of us."  
  
Umani paused, he found it difficult to speak. His lord looked at him steadily. "Please, Umani, continue."  
  
He took a deep breath, willing himself to deliver the facts. "Sire, the renegade reached them before we could intervene. The entire Sutakasi clan has been slaughtered. We were unable to prevent the renegade from killing the rest of his family. I'm, I'm sorry, sire, there was nothing we could do."  
  
His lord turned away. "Anuki and the children too," he murmured. He allowed himself one short moment for grief before turning an expressionless face to his lieutenant. Umani gestured quickly to a lithe demoness named Razani, his first cousin. She stepped forward, holding a bundle cradled in her arms. "My lord, we only arrived in time to rescue the youngest child, Lady Anuki must have hidden him when they were attacked. Razani smelled the baby's milk and pulled him out of the debris. He had some superficial cuts, but is whole and healthy thanks to Razani's nose."  
  
"Commend her," the lord said. His light gaze brushed over Razani as she held the baby and she bowed her head respectfully. Umani continued his report. "We were able to restrain the prisoner from doing damage to himself and have brought him for your disposition."  
  
"Thank you, cousin," the lord favored him with a reference to their blood ties. Even if his lord hadn't been close kin, Umani would have followed him into hell itself, such was the loyalty the youkai lord inspired. "You have had a rough journey, I urge you and your team to take some rest. We move at dawn."  
  
Umani clapped his arm to his chest and bowed to his general. "Sire, what of the renegade?"  
  
"You may leave him with me." The lord's voice was icy and hard. Two strong youkai moved forward, dragging a third. "On your knees, vermin," one of them hissed. They threw him down and he lay there quietly, not speaking although he'd filled their ears with curses during the long trek back to their lord. His long black hair was filthy and matted, old bloodstains covered his clothing like a resume of death. The guards withdrew, Umani gestured roughly at them to follow him and not linger to hear the lord's words.  
  
"Have you got anything to say?" Now that his soldiers were out of earshot, the lord's usually smooth voice roughened with emotion.  
  
The prisoner sat up on his knees. He was one of the few living men would have dared to look the youkai lord in the eye so defiantly. His face was badly bruised, Umani's squad had not been gentle in their task to bringing him to justice. He grinned, showing a few broken teeth in his swollen mouth. "I have nothing to say to you, Sire," he drawled mockingly, making the title sound like an insult. The demon looked down at him. "It didn't have to come to this, Inoki. Whatever crimes you've committed, you know I would have spared your wife and children."  
  
Inoki spat at him. "Better they should die under my claws than live under your mercy. At least then they died honest deaths, better that than grow up hearing how their great lord spared their miserable lives out of his so called compassion." Inoki started to laugh, but coughed up blood instead, a few of his ribs were shattered. If he hadn't been half-demon, he would have died on the trip back.  
  
"You betray me out of spite, I can understand that. But I thought I knew you too well to ever think you'd kill your own family. Anuki deserved better. She loved you, damn it!"  
  
"She loved you first and best," Inoki muttered. His wife's face as she died was terrible to remember, even in the grip of his massive rage, he knew she'd begged him to spare the children.  
  
"She married you, not me," the demon lord snapped, his patience was at an end. "And I was stupid enough to be happy for the both of you. If I'd known what you were capable of, I'd have slit your throat on your wedding day." With an effort, he fought down his own formidable temper. "An act of rage might be forgiven, but you can't hide your intentions from me, Inoki. Why did you betray me to the rebels, what did they offer you that I didn't? Haven't I always been the first to defend you, even when Father..."  
  
"Shut up," Inoki shouted suddenly. "I resented every single time you defended me, I hated you every time you fought a fight for me. Always there, always the perfect older brother, picking up after the stupid half- breed whelp that should have been drowned at birth. The rebels didn't come to me, I sought them out. I told them I could hand them the great general on a fucking platter if they liked. It would be enough for me just to wipe that superior look off your face for once."  
  
Inoki's brother stood over him, letting his younger sibling's hatred wash over him like a noxious wind. "Inoki, you know I've never thought of you as anything less than my brother. And I know how difficult it's been for you, being hanyou."  
  
"You know nothing about it, brother." Inoki's face was sullen and twisted with hate. "You don't know what it's like so don't tell me you know how it feels to be hanyou. You didn't have to live with being your brother. You didn't have to listen to the whispers of the court about how your wife had lowered herself to bear a half-breed's children. You didn't ever have your own father look right past you when you asked him a question. No, brother, that was all mine. Now all I want is for you to look me in the face when you kill me and know that you failed to make me into what you wanted."  
  
The youkai lord drew his katana, it pulsed to life in his hands, power radiating off the blade. Inoki glared at him fiercely, his teeth bared, waiting for the blow. Time stopped around them. As soon as he'd unsheathed the blade, the eyes of every soldier and every camp follower down to the youngest pup in training was were on them. He knew he could have spared himself this last bitter act, any one of his men would have been happy to carry out his order. It was beneath his rank and breeding to execute a half-breed traitor with his own hands.  
  
This particular lord felt differently. He would allow his brother's blood to be spilled by no one less than himself, he who loved the murderous traitor. He raised the Tetsusaiga and brought it down in a graceful arc to take off his brother's head in one clean stroke.  
  
Inutaisho turned away from Inoki's corpse, sheathing the blade without stopping to clean his brother's blood from its edge. His face was terrible to see and dark as the blood that was pooling on the ground. Even his closest lieutenants flinched as he stalked away from them. "Lord?" the bravest of them managed to ask.  
  
"Burn the goddamn body."  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Kagome Higurashi twisted her head to look over her shoulder. She flicked a last minute bit of fluff from the skirt of her new school uniform. Satisfied at last, the girl tossed her hair over her shoulder and scooped up the backpack that was lying on her bed. She whistled happily to herself as she skipped downstairs, calling out a farewell to her mother as she went out the door. "Bye Mom, I'm off to school now!" 

Mrs. Higurashi hurried to catch her daughter before she left the shrine grounds. "Kagome, I made your lunch," she called, waving a package at the teenage girl. Kagome rushed back to her mother to take it, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks Mom, I don't know what I'd do without you." Her mother grinned. "I'd expect you'd manage quite well, you look so grown up in that uniform. I can't believe my baby is finally going to start high school."

Kagome couldn't quite believe it either. She'd really been sweating since last year's final exams, her grades had slipped so badly that she was terrified that she wouldn't be accepted to any high school in Tokyo. All her friends had time for cram school and the extra work it took to make the top grades. Kagome thought she was lucky to have scraped by in passing all her classes. With her grades, she was lucky to have gotten into any high school at all. She grinned to herself, she wouldn't have even passed the final exams if her friends hadn't stepped in and drilled her in the material. Eri had given her a stern lecture about keeping up in the classes.

"Now I know you've been ill, Kagome-chan, but you've got your future to think about and you need to pass your exams. You just tell that two-timing boyfriend of yours that he's going to have to live without you while you study."

Oh yeah right, Kagome thought. That would have went over well with Inuyasha. She'd decided that she just had to take a break from the warring states period to try and finish out at least her first week of high school. Starting at a new school was a big deal after all. She wanted to make a good first impression on her new teachers and classmates and thought that she deserved at least a week to get settled in.

Unfortunately, the half-demon didn't agree with her. "A whole week? Hell FUCKING no!"

Kagome had prepared herself for this response and knew that backing down was not an option this time. "Can't you just hear me out for once?" The last thing she needed the day before starting at her new high school was to be distracted by another argument with Inuyasha. "This is really important to me!"

"And hunting down that bastard Naraku isn't?" He glowered at her, trying to back her into a corner on the subject. Kagome had too much experience with the half-demon's temper tantrums to allow herself to be intimidated. She took a deep breath and held it. "That's not the point, Inuyasha."

"What is the fucking point then?" he'd shouted loud enough that the peaceful members of Kaede's village had bolted for their homes. Door slammed in unison and faces peeped from windows. Fights between Kagome- sama and the crazy hanyou were legendary in this village. No one wanted to miss out on the action, but it was always a good idea to take cover in case the dispute turned violent.

Kagome leveled a serious gaze at him, her eyes snapping. "I don't need your permission to go home! You can't stop me from doing anything!" She'd been prepared for this moment ever since she'd come to the decision and already her belongings were sitting at the bottom of the dry well waiting for her. He sensed that she was about to make a run for it. "Kagome," he said warningly.

"Sit!" Kagome turned on her heel and dashed to the well. Inuyasha was a lot faster than she was, but he'd still need a second or two to recover from the effects of her incantation. "YOU BITCH!"

Panting, the girl tore through the forest, leaping over fallen logs and low branches. Months in the Sengoku Jidai hunting demons had made Kagome very athletic, it was ironic that she'd very nearly failed phys ed at school due to her absences. She gritted her teeth as she made for the clearing with the Bone-Eater's well. If my phys ed teachers had ever seen me run like this, they'd never have dared to fail me, she thought. A loud crash from behind her signaled that Inuyasha had recovered fully from her sit and was ripping down trees in pursuit of his prey. Kagome made a flying leap for the well opening, tucking her legs under her. "Sit boy!" she screamed as she fell inside the portal to her home.

Kagome winced a little. The last sound she'd heard before falling through the well to her own time had been the sound of Inuyasha's head hitting the side of the well from her command. I bet he's really pissed this time, she thought, sighing to herself. "Why does he have to be such a jerk?" she asked aloud.

"It's not like I don't spend every single free second I have over there, I've sacrificed my family life, my friends and my education, isn't that enough to keep him happy?" Kagome didn't realize she was walking faster and faster as she fumed about Inuyasha's belligerent behavior. "I think I deserve at least a week off."

She knew he didn't understand why this high school business was so important to her. The worst part was that she knew he didn't care either, as far as he was concerned, it was just another excuse that kept her from doing more important things. Like being a damn jewel shard detector, she thought resentfully. Okay, so maybe stopping someone like Naraku was a lot more important than graduating from high school, but it wasn't like she had a choice about trying to keep up with her studies. Her mother had been really unhappy with her grades last semester and had made it very clear that if she wanted to continue with her extracurricular activities, she had to at least keep her grades up and not flunk out of school.

"He doesn't appreciate me!" she said suddenly. An old woman who happened to be walking past gave her a disapproving look. Kagome blushed and hurried on, it wouldn't be good to be tardy on her first day. The packet that had come from her new school had emphasized that delinquent behavior such as tardiness would be strongly discouraged. She sighed, hopefully she'd be able to keep her absences to a minimum.

Kagome saw the gates of the high school coming into view just ahead and felt a tiny twinge of nervousness bite in her stomach. "Come on girl," she said lightly. "You've fought off monsters and demons, there's no reason to be scared of high school students. They're just ordinary kids after all. You can handle anything." She marched resolutely through the gate, a colorful banner flapped in the crisp morning breeze. "Welcome to Furinkan High."

Akane Tendo was running late. Actually she was running pretty fast, her breath appearing as short white puffs in the chill morning air. Her book bag tapped against the back of her thighs as she lengthened her stride, settling into an easy jog.

"Akane, wait up!"

She grit her teeth in anger. "Damn you, Ranma, you're going to make me late on the first day of school!" Peeved, she sped up again, trying to put a little more distance between them.

He had caught up with her anyway, glaring down at the girl as he ran lightly on top of the fence. "It was an accident!"

She snorted. "That's what you always say. You have any idea how long it takes a girl to get ready in the morning? No, don't answer that. If you hadn't dumped that tea down the front of my dress..."

"That was still no reason to kick me into the fish pond," he retorted angrily. He'd barely had time to reverse his curse and change clothes when she tore out the door ahead of him. He dropped to the ground next to her as she slowed her pace. "You need to watch that damn macho temper," he started.

She swung the book bag with all her might. It whizzed by his face and he danced just out of her range. "That's what I mean, trying to nail me for saying that you need to watch your stupid temper and quit taking it out on the rest of us."

Akane stopped, fuming at him. "I do not take my temper out on other people," she growled. "Just you, Ranma."

"Whatever." He brushed aside her qualification with a dismissive gesture. "You could try to be a little nicer, you know."

"I should be nice to you for dumping hot tea all over my new uniform?" she shouted. A few other students walking nearby flinched at the sound of her anger and carefully moved to the opposite side of the street. Akane's temper was well known in Nerima district.

Ranma pointed to the school clock. "Look, you're upset over nothing. Plenty of time to spare." Akane scowled at him and decided it wasn't worth fighting about any longer, he'd never get the point even if she beat it into his head. She walked through the gate, noticing a cluster of boys from her class standing near the wall as if surrounding something. "What's that all about?" she wondered aloud.

"Hmmmm," Ranma said, peering over the heads of passing students. "Must be a new girl, cute one I'd say by the size of the crowd."

"Honestly," she snapped, irritated. She stamped her way over to the crowd and started shoving at male backs to get through. "Get out of my way," she ordered, pushing bodies to the side. "Let the poor girl have some air already!"

A cute girl with long hair was backed up against the wall, holding her backpack in front of her like a shield. Her expression turned grateful as Akane burst through the wall of admirers. "Knock it off, you morons!"

"Aw come on, Tendo," a few voices were raised in disgruntlement. "Yeah, we're just trying to be friendly."

Akane dropped back into a defensive stance. "Back the hell off, you're scaring her to death, you disgusting perverts." She raised her fists and glared around at the boys, not one was going to meet her eye. She'd been the subject of this kind of attention one too many times herself and she was damned if she was going to let another girl take this kind of harassment. "If any of you want a piece of me, just go ahead and make your move!"

The crowd began to disperse, a few rude comments were muttered out of Akane's hearing. The feisty girl was fully prepared to make good on her threat of violence, but even the bravest of the male students at Furinkan High didn't relish the thought of going toe-to-toe with Akane Tendo and having to deal with Ranma Saotome afterwards.

"Are you okay?" Akane asked the new girl. She didn't look scared anymore, there was a distinct twinkle in her eye.

"Thanks, I'm fine," the girl replied. "You weren't really going to fight all those boys at once, were you?"

"Why not?" Akane grinned. "I would have won and they knew it. I'm sorry if you got a bad first impression of us here. Most of the students at Furinkan are really nice. Boys can be such a pain!"

The girl laughed. "That's okay, I'm not that easily intimidated. My name is Kagome Higurashi."

"Akane Tendo. Would you like me to show you the way to the registration office? It's on my way."

Kagome smiled. "I'd like that." The short haired girl seemed so friendly now that she'd run off Kagome's welcome party. She hadn't felt that unsettled by anything since she walked into a wolf-demon's den. About the same response too, she thought with a shiver. She'd just asked a nice looking boy for directions and suddenly found herself backed into a wall with questions being peppered at her from interested admirers.

She followed her new friend up the steps to the school entrance. Kagome was startled and almost fell when a tall boy suddenly jumped right in front of them. He had seemingly leapt from the bottom step right over their heads. Akane didn't seem too surprised by this acrobatic feat. She even took a quick swipe at him with her bag. "Leave me alone, Ranma. I'm still mad at you."

He dodged her casual swing with ease. "What's the matter, you disappointed that you didn't get to beat the hell out anyone today? I saw you threaten those guys, you looked like an angry pit bull. A macho angry pit bull." She shot him a look that would have curdled new milk. "Oh shut your face already. They had it coming."

"Didn't say that they didn't," he grinned. His eyes twinkled down at Kagome. "Don't let those jokers spoil your day, kid. They don't get introduced to actual human girls all that often, just macho chicks like Akane here." With that for a parting shot, the boy whirled around on his heel, a long pigtail flapping against his back as he strutted away, humming to himself.

"Who was that?" Kagome wanted to know. Akane was scowling again, her ears were red. She looked over at Kagome, leading the girl down the hallway to office. "He's a cocky, conceited jerk who thinks he's god's gift to women, that's who he is."

Kagome stared at her. The flush had spread from Akane's ears to her cheeks. "Is he, uh, your boyfriend or something?"

"No!" Akane's face grew even redder. "He is not my boyfriend, he's worse than that. Ranma's my fiancé, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Aren't you kind of young to be engaged already?"

Akane tossed her short hair. "Yeah, it's just some crazy idea my father and his came up with. We fight all the time about it. Actually we fight about everything, but it wouldn't kill him to try and act like a decent person now and then."

Kagome could sympathize. She'd had her share of trying to wring consideration out of a certain bad tempered half-demon. "I hear what you're saying. No matter what you do, it's never good enough for them. Guys are so selfish!"

"And arrogant, conceited," Akane put in.

"And violent, foul mouthed, and crude," Kagome finished. The girls stopped and stared at each for a moment before breaking into a fit of giggles. Akane wiped a tear from her eyes. "I think I'm going to like you, Kagome. Let's be friends."

Kagome nodded her head decisively. "You bet!"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Ranma characters.

CHAPTER 2  
  
"For the last time, leave me the FUCK alone!"  
  
The kitsune was pushing his luck and risking his life at the same time. Shippo ducked away from the rock that was hurled in his direction. "Stop being stubborn and go tell her that you're sorry!"  
  
Inuyasha leaned over the tree branch he was lying on and glared yellow murder at the fox. "I'm not sorry about anything!"  
  
"No, but we are." Miroku had a tired expression as he came over to stand next to Shippo. He craned his head upward to get a glimpse of Inuyasha's angry face. "Every time Kagome-sama goes home, you pick a fight with her and end up making our lives miserable while she's away. We're sick of it, damn it!"  
  
Inuyasha slithered out of the tree with a notable lack of grace. "What makes you think I care, monk?" He glared at them, not one of them thought that Kagome should apologize to him and he was the one who'd rammed his head into the side of the well thanks to the vindictive bitch. "If you miss her so much, go get her yourself."  
  
Sango had joined them, her boomerang over her shoulder. "Believe me, if we could we'd be there already. Anything is better than hanging around here and watching you pout."  
  
"I don't pout!"  
  
Miroku put his hand to his head, he felt a splitting headache coming on. "Okay, you don't pout. But you do storm around and break things, intimidate the villagers and generally make such a pain of yourself that by the time Kagome comes back we're all ready to throw YOU down that hole and block it up ourselves. If you want to run around and act like an evil tempered youkai, fine, but keep it to yourself and stay the hell out of the village!"  
  
The monk stalked away, Sango and Shippo looked like they wanted to start cheering. "What he said," the kitsune added, making sure he was out of the scowling hanyou's reach.  
  
"Bite my ass," Inuyasha muttered. He jumped easily back to his branch. "I'll apologize when hell freezes over, she wants her fucking week, she's got it. Not one minute longer."  
  
"Excellent shot, Higurashi!" The gym teacher looked more than pleased as she marked down Kagome's score. "That's a perfect ten for ten. Where did you study archery?"  
  
"Oh," she said, blushing at the praise. "I just picked it up somewhere. I'm just lucky more than anything else."  
  
"Don't be so modest, Kagome." Akane elbowed the girl in her side, a mischievous smile on her face. "You're a fantastic shot, I wish you'd teach me!"  
  
Kagome was about to answer when a drawling voice interrupted them. "Careful, that's the biggest klutz in Japan that's asking you for help. You might want to check your life insurance policy." Ranma had come up behind them as Kagome made her final shot. He whistled softly as he gauged the distance for her last target. "You could be the one to teach her though. Seriously, where'd you learn to shoot like that?"  
  
"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," Kagome said. The week had passed so quickly she hardly knew what to think. She'd become fast friends with Akane and even learned to take Ranma's habitual teasing in stride. She'd been a little shocked the first time her friend had decked the boy in front of her. He'd bounced back laughing and she realized that the young martial artist didn't seem to resent the attack. Akane usually bristled at his jibes, but she forgot them seconds later. Good thing too, Kagome had decided. These two would kill each other living under the same roof if either of them held a grudge.  
  
"So Kagome, did you ask your mom about coming over tonight to study?" Akane had invited her to dinner at her home and an evening of study. Kagome had a lot to catch up on and appreciated the offer. "She said she didn't mind as long as I make sure to be home by midnight."  
  
"You two are going to study on a Friday night?" Ranma asked. He put his hands on Akane's shoulders and stared over her head at Kagome. "Please Kagome, you don't want to turn into a total geek like Akane here, do you? You've got to fight it!"  
  
Akane elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Did anyone ask your opinion?"  
  
"Saotome!" A voice shouted, causing all heads to turn. A tall young man with glasses was bearing down on them. "You've humiliated me in front of Shampoo for the last time!"  
  
"I kinda doubt it," Ranma muttered, walking out to face his angry challenger. "What's up your ass this time, Mousse?"  
  
"Only your destruction," the young man snarled. He shot into the air above them, one arm raised high. "Taste my vengeance!" Something hot and smoking hurled from Mousse's sleeve, aiming right for where Ranma and the two girls were standing.  
  
Ranma jumped into the air to intercept Mousse's attack, but Kagome was even quicker. Instinct took over and the girl flung herself to the side in a crouch as she drew back an arrow. In the blink of an eye the shaft fired into the air, glowing slightly as it hit her intended target. The ball exploded spectacularly, most the blast taking Mousse right in the face and he dropped out of the air, unconscious at her feet.  
  
Ranma and Akane stared at the girl, who nervously hid the bow behind her back. "Um, well," she said, embarrassed by her instinctive reaction to danger.  
  
Ranma used his foot to turn Mousse over. The idiot was still breathing but his face was covered in soot. "You sure you don't want to tell us where you learned to shoot like that?"  
  
It was late afternoon and the streets of Nerima were filled with students on the way home after school. Kagome was grateful that Akane had chosen to drop the subject of Kagome's archery skills. She was still a little embarrassed by the incident, she would have liked to explain herself better but didn't know where to begin. It's not like I can tell her that I hunt demons in my spare time, she thought crossly. The week had been going so perfectly too.  
  
"Here we are," Akane said cheerfully. She led Kagome through the front door. Immediately, Kagome smelled something wonderful coming from the kitchen. Akane laughed at the expression on the girl's face. "Come on, let me introduce you to the rest of my family."  
  
"Hey Kasumi," she called, poking her head around the corner. Kagome saw a pretty young woman stirring a pot on the stove. She wore a crisp white apron over her clothes and favored them with a gentle smile. "Akane, you're home. And this is your new friend?"  
  
"Kagome Higurashi," she introduced herself. The girl wiped her hands on her apron and nodded. "It's wonderful to meet you, Kagome. Akane has talked about no one else this whole week. I'm so glad you could join us for dinner tonight."  
  
"Thank you for having me," Kagome said politely. "It smells delicious." Akane took her arm and led her away. "Let me show you the rest of the house before we eat. We'll start with my room, you can leave your bag there until we get starting with studying."  
  
"And this is the practice hall," Akane said, flipping on the lights. Kagome looked around, it was just a big plain room. "I've never been in a real dojo before," she said.  
  
Akane grinned. "I spend a lot of time here, I've been training as a martial artist since I was old enough to walk."  
  
"You must be really good then," Kagome said, walking to the other end of the room.  
  
"I hold my own," Akane said modestly. "Would you like me to show you some moves? I think all girls should know how to defend themselves."  
  
"Sure," Kagome said. Learning a few basic moves couldn't hurt and might even come in handy in the Sengoku Jidai. The girls went to the center of the hall and Akane showed her friend how to take a defensive stance. "Just drop your right leg back a little farther, put your hands up like this. There you go, that's perfect."  
  
With Kagome holding the pose, Akane circled around and faced her. "Now you put your arms up and just block my punches. I won't really hit you, I just want to show you how to block when someone is coming at you."  
  
"Like this?" Kagome said, watching Akane's hands come toward her. She batted the other girl's hands away and tried to copy her moves.  
  
"That's great, see you're a natural," Akane said, easily fending off Kagome's hesitant strikes. "You're going to pick this up quick."  
  
"It would be easier if she had a better teacher." Ranma was lounging against the wall, watching the girls with a condescending expression.  
  
Akane spun around and glared at him. "Beat it, Ranma. Can't you see we're busy?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, have it your way. If you want to teach Kagome how to fight like clumsy warthog, you're the right person for the job."  
  
Akane jumped at him, aiming a high kick for his head. "You take that back!" He laughed and evaded her easily. "Oh come on, Akane. Even you can try harder than that. It's not like you can hurt me."  
  
Kagome watched as her friend chased Ranma around the room. Whoa, he really is good, she thought. She'd seen enough fighting that she could tell when someone really knew what they were doing. Akane was no slouch either, but it was clear that Ranma was just playing around with her, letting her get close enough to hit him and then dancing away just at the last second.  
  
Akane's face was flushed red with exertion and sweat was beading on her forehead. "Just leave us alone," she snapped. She knew that Ranma was just showing off for Kagome's benefit, but it still irritated the hell out of her. She swung at him again and he did a neat backflip and smirked at her as he landed next to Kagome.  
  
"See what did I tell you?" he said, looking down at Kagome with an amused grin. "Akane's strong, but she doesn't have the discipline to follow through. She fights like a trained bear. Aren't girls supposed to be a just a little more graceful?"  
  
"I'll show you grace," Akane growled. He jumped away lightly as she rushed him. She tried to turn but her toe caught on the smooth floor of the dojo and she tripped and went flying headlong into Kagome, knocking the other girl hard into the wall.  
  
"Oh my god, are you alright?" Ranma helped Kagome up, looking worried. Kagome shook her head dizzily, she'd bumped it when she hit the wall. Ranma steadied her, she looked like she might fall over if he let go.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Akane burst out, mortified. "I didn't mean to hit you. Please say you're okay."  
  
"I'm fine," Kagome said. She gently removed Ranma's hand from her arm. "Don't worry about it, Akane. I'm tougher than I look."  
  
"Interesting," Ranma commented. "Akane looks tougher than she is." She glowered at him. "Haven't you caused enough problems for one day?" she snapped. "This wouldn't have happened if you didn't need to show off all the time."  
  
"You tripped over your own feet," he said hotly. "I had nothing to do with it. If you didn't always have to act like a macho..."  
  
"If you didn't always have be such a conceited jerk and butt in where you're not wanted, it wouldn't have happened at all," she yelled, pushing him hard.  
  
His eyes glittered angrily and she matched him glare for glare. "You're the one who always butts in," he shouted.  
  
"What is all the yelling about?" Soun Tendo stood in the doorway, his arms folded over his chest and looked disapproving. "Ranma, stop fighting with Akane. You two need to learn to get along better and stop screaming at each other all the time."  
  
Akane grabbed Kagome's hand and pulled her out the door. "It's okay, dad. We were just leaving, there's not enough room in here with Ranma's ego anyway."  
  
Soun stepped out of the way, giving his angry daughter a wide berth. Ranma had flopped onto the floor and sat there scowling. Soun sighed, approaching the boy. "Son, why do you two have to be at odds all of the time?"  
  
"I didn't pick a fight, she came at me." Soun raised an eyebrow at his words. "And what did you say to provoke her this time?"  
  
Ranma flushed. "Okay, it wasn't all Akane's fault." Looking back on the conversation, he started to feel bad. He had insulted Akane, picked on her ruthlessly in front of her friend. She didn't deserve that, he thought.  
  
"Maybe you should apologize to her," Soun suggested. The boy looked up at him, scowling again. "It's not like she'd accept it," he said. "She'll just try to hit me again."  
  
Soun clapped the boy on the shoulder. "I know, but she'll appreciate the gesture just the same. Think about it, son." He left Ranma sitting there, feeling just a bit ashamed of himself.  
  
"I was showing off," he muttered. Not that he had a thing for Kagome, she seemed to be a pretty nice, straightforward kind of girl. He just couldn't help himself. "Good job, Ranma. Now they both probably think you're an asshole. Guess there's no help for it, I'm going to have to apologize to them."  
  
He stood up and started for the door, but a glint of something shiny caught his attention. He bent over, there was a little piece of glass imbedded in the floor of the dojo.  
  
That shouldn't be there, he thought. He picked up the little shard, glad that no one had stepped on it and cut themselves. Soun was fastidious about keeping a clean dojo, he knew, he'd trashed it several times himself and had to clean up the mess.  
  
"Huh, that's funny. I thought it was glass." The little sliver had a faint glow about it, shimmering softly in his palm. It seemed to pulse from within and was warm to the touch. He turned it over in his hand, holding it close to his face. "What the hell?"  
  
His fingers closed of their own will over the small shard. The pleasant warmth seemed to fill his palm and start moving down his arm. His hand started shaking, he couldn't open it and the warmth had increased to a tingling, burning sensation. "Hey," he said, alarmed. "What's going on here?" Suddenly a white hot agony pierced through his body and he doubled over from it, gripping his arm as he gasped for breath. Ranma fell to his knees, tears pouring from his eyes as he tried to hold in the scream that wanted to rip from his throat. His body was shaking even more violently now and he felt the shard pulsing in his hand like a tiny malevolent heart. "No," he whispered. "Please, I don't want to..."  
  
"Where's Ranma?" Kasumi wanted to know. She had just finished putting the food on the table and noticed his absence. "It's not like him to be late to a meal."  
  
Akane tossed her head, looking disgusted. "He's probably still sulking in the dojo." She picked up her rice and started to eat. Nabiki grinned at Kagome. "Ranma sulking when there's food to be eaten? That doesn't sound like him. What did my sister do this time?"  
  
Kagome laughed. She liked both of Akane's sisters, Nabiki had a wicked sense of humor. She could tell that her friend was still a bit upset over her fight with Ranma, but she felt fine and had told her several times that she really wasn't hurt. She started to eat, the food tasted every bit as wonderful as it had smelled. She was looking forward to a quiet evening of studying with Akane. Kagome paused, a tingling sensation had started in the pit of her stomach. Now that's odd, she thought. I don't feel that unless there's a jewel shard near me. It was growing stronger too. A loud crash interrupted their meal. It sounded like something huge had rammed into the side of the house. Kasumi stood up and went to the window. "Oh my, did that come from the dojo?"  
  
Genma Saotome threw down his chopsticks with an annoyed expression. "Damn that boy, what is he doing now?" Another crash shook the room and Nabiki reached quickly to rescue a glass that almost overturned. "Is he trying to tear the house down or what?" she demanded.  
  
Soun and Genma were already on their feet, heading for the door. "Ranma!" his father shouted. "What the hell do you think you're doing in there? Come out at once!"  
  
The air was cut by a horrifying scream, it carried on ending in an unearthly howl that made the hair stand up on the back of their necks. "Was that Ranma?" Akane whispered, her eyes wide as she also got to her feet. The Tendo sisters ran for the door, following their father and Genma to the dojo. Kagome sat frozen in place as another raging scream echoed through the house. Something about the scream was familiar. "Oh no," she murmured, her heart pounding.  
  
She ran after the Tendo sisters, reaching the door to the practice hall. Soun and Genma were inside the room. Ranma was crouched on the floor, his head bent with his hair covering his eyes. He seemed to be breathing hard, his body shuddering slightly.  
  
Genma had been startled to find his son alone, he'd expected yet another enemy had made his way to the dojo in order to challenge the boy to a fight. "Boy, are you alright?" he asked, approaching his son to touch his arm lightly.  
  
Ranma sprang up, his body arcing like a wild beast as he struck at his father with blinding speed. Genma spun around and flattened himself on the floor, barely avoiding the full force of the strike. Sharp claws tore into the skin on his back and shredded his clothing. He yelped and scuttled away from the boy, who was just starting to laugh.  
  
The sound made Akane's skin crawl, it wasn't Ranma's normal, cocky laugh at all. It sounded cruel and cold. "Not fast enough, are you old man?" he hissed. He pounced on his father and drove his fists into the man's body. Akane cringed as she heard the sound of Genma's ribs being broken by his son's furious attack.  
  
"Ranma!" the girl shouted. "What are you doing?" His back was turned to her and he laughed again and jumped into the air, taking the surprised Soun Tendo with a vicious kick to his face. Her father's body slammed into the dojo wall and crumpled. "Daddy!" she shrieked and ran after him.  
  
Ranma caught her as she ran to her father's side. She saw his face clearly for the first time. His eyes were glowing red and when he smiled, she saw a mouthful of sharp fangs grinning at her. A blood red stripe marked each cheek and his hands were harsh as he gripped her by the arms. "Let me go," she cried, struggling.  
  
"Sure," he growled. He drew back his hand and hit her across the face so hard that she spun into the wall and fell unconscious, bleeding from her mouth. Kasumi screamed and held Nabiki back as the middle sister tried to throw herself at the demon. "You bastard, Ranma! What's happened to you?"  
  
"You should be more worried about what's going to happen to you," he answered, advancing on the girls with an evil smirk.  
  
"That's enough," Kagome said calmly. The girl didn't raise her voice, but she quietly placed herself between the Tendo sisters and the vicious demon. "If you want to hurt them, you'll have to go through me." Kagome didn't know why this was happening, but she knew a demon in a full rage when she saw it.  
  
The demon laughed, his voice harsh and mocking. "Go through you, it will be a pleasure to do just that," he said, advancing on her with malicious glee. He grabbed Kagome by her arms and held her up, her feet dangling above the floor. "This will be the most fun I've had in days," he growled savagely.  
  
"Ranma, don't," Genma gasped from where he was laying on the floor. His back was bleeding freely and he didn't have the strength to get up and try to defend the helpless girl. "Whatever's wrong, we'll fix it, don't hurt the girls."  
  
I hope this works, Kagome thought as he pulled her toward him. I've only tried it with arrows. She brought up her hand, a single chopstick was clenched in her fist. Concentrating fiercely, she jabbed the tip of it into the demon's chest. "Huh?" he said, looking down.  
  
Blue-white light suddenly burst from the tip of the stick and Ranma was thrown across the room by the huge blast. The impact left a crack in the wall, but Ranma was already unconscious from the purification. He fell limply to the floor and flopped onto his face next to Akane.  
  
Kagome got up, her knees were sore where she'd landed on them. Limping slightly, she went to Ranma's side while Kasumi and Nabiki ran forward to help Soun and Akane. She gently turned the boy over on his back, looking at the strange markings. Brushing his hair aside, she saw two very youkai looking ears. Unconscious, his face had lost its feral glee and he looked very young and vulnerable. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't have a choice."  
  
Genma had pulled himself over to her side and was looking at his son's sleeping face. Kagome glanced at him and saw the confusion in his eyes. "Is this the first time he's transformed?"  
  
He nodded dumbly. "I've never seen anything like that. Ranma's done plenty of strange things, but that was a first." Genma looked old and tired, his breathing was labored. "What the hell happened to him?"  
  
She looked around the room, searching for it. A tiny glow was emitting from the corner of the practice hall. Kagome went to it and picked up the Shikon shard. "I must have dropped you," she murmured to it. The shard flared brightly, purified again by her touch.  
  
Kasumi was helping Soun to his feet. Together they approached Kagome and looked at the shining jewel in her hand. "Is that little thing why Ranma went crazy?" Soun asked.  
  
Kagome slipped the shard into her pocket and sighed. "It could be," she told them quietly. "It only reacts to the presence of youki, demonic energy. I can only guess that the jewel shard woke it in Ranma. I'm sorry, I didn't know he was a demon."  
  
"Ranma's a what?" Kasumi asked, staring at the girl in horror. Soun's face was angry as he rounded on Genma. "Saotome, how could you keep this a secret from us? A demon, living under the same roof as my daughters and you didn't warn us about it?"  
  
Genma backed away, wincing from his wounds. "I didn't know," he said, looking equally shocked and horrified. "He's never done it before. I don't even know why it happened."  
  
"I might be able to help you answer that," a woman's voice said softly from the doorway.  
  
END CHAPTER 2


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Ranma characters.

CHAPTER 3  
  
Nodoka Saotome stood at the entrance of the practice hall, a grim expression on her normally serene features. She ignored her startled husband to cross the floor and kneel at the side of her son. "Oh my poor Ranma," she murmured, brushing the boy's hair back from his forehead. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."  
  
She turned to look at Akane, who was still unconscious, her head pillowed in Nabiki's lap. "Is she seriously injured?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "I don't think so, Mrs. Saotome. She's just out cold. She's lucky, he hit her so hard I thought he might have broken her neck."  
  
Nodoka sighed sadly. "She is very lucky, Nabiki. He could have easily killed her. I'm so sorry for the trouble this has caused." She looked around at her husband and smiled faintly. "I guess an explanation is in order. But first things first, do you have any strong rope handy? If he wakes up with the rage still in him, we'll have difficult time subduing him again."  
  
Kasumi left the room briefly and returned with the requested rope. "That should do for now," Nodoka said. She started to bind Ranma's arms and legs. "I'm hoping that when he does wake up he'll be able to talk. These ropes won't hold him for long if he decides he wants free."  
  
"When he wakes up will he still be that...thing?" Kasumi asked. She had also brought a first aid kit and was starting to clean the deep gashes that Ranma had left on his father's back. "You need to go to the hospital, Mr. Saotome. I think you have some broken bones."  
  
Genma's face was stoic, although the scratches were deep and had to hurt. He ignored Kasumi's comment. "Nodoka," he said. "Is there something you'd like to tell us?"  
  
Nodoka had finished binding her son and sat down to hold his head in her lap. She blushed slightly. "I'm actually not sure where to begin," she said in her mild voice. "As far as I know, he's the first one in generations to be born into the family curse."  
  
"Another curse?" Soun was holding an ice pack to the side of his head. Ranma's kick had sent him face first into the wall and his eyes were already bruising. "My god, doesn't the boy have enough curses already?" She gave Akane's father a stern look. "This is nothing like that," she said firmly. "I'm not exactly sure how or why it began, but according to my grandfather, there is supposed to be some kind of demon blood in our family. When I was younger than Ranma is now, my father and grandfather performed some kind of test just to make sure that I wasn't carrying the curse myself. All I remember is that we went to a very old shrine in the middle of a forest and an elderly priestess gave me some sweet tea to drink. When I woke, my father was taking me home. I asked him what the visit was about, but he told me I was much too young to worry about such things."  
  
"Years later, after I had grown up and married Genma, my father told me the rest of the story. I had called him to tell him the good news that I was pregnant, he asked if I would come and see him, without my husband."  
  
"Your father never liked me," Genma put in. She waved her hand at him. "That's not true, dear. He liked you as a person, he just thought you were stupid and dishonest."  
  
She continued, ignoring the baffled looks the Tendo family exchanged. "Anyway, he liked the fact that I had married a martial artist. He thought it was important that our children have training, just in case the demon blood ever surfaced. That was one of the reasons I agreed to let you take Ranma. It broke my heart, but I knew that my son might someday need that kind of discipline."  
  
Akane moaned, drawing their attention. She sat up, holding her head gingerly. "What happened? I feel awful." She looked around her, seeing her father and Genma sitting bandaged and Nodoka holding a tightly trussed Ranma. Her eyes filled with tears. "He attacked me," she whispered, then started to sob into her hands.  
  
Nodoka reached over and stroked the girl's arm. "I'm so sorry, Akane. I know Ranma would never want to hurt you, he didn't have any control over what was happening. Please believe me."  
  
She turned back to Genma and Soun. "My father told me the family history, that somewhere in our bloodline we have an ancestor or two that wasn't quite human. Quite a bit more than human is the way he put it. He also told me that the curse had been dormant for generations, I had thought we were lucky until now."  
  
Akane had stopped crying and was peering into Ranma's sleeping face. He looked the same as always, only now his ears were pointed. The marks on his face weren't disfiguring. She reached out and timidly opened his mouth. She shivered, sharp fangs and all. "I don't understand," she said, looking up at Nodoka. "If he's still Ranma, why did he attack Dad and Mr. Saotome? He seemed so cruel and angry, I almost couldn't recognize him."  
  
"He didn't know who he was," Kagome said sadly. She was suddenly aware that all eyes had turned to her. She flushed, feeling very uncomfortable. If I hadn't brought that damn Shikon fragment with me, this wouldn't have happened, she thought miserably. Nodoka gazed at her with a thoughtful expression. "I don't believe I know you, my dear."  
  
"I, I'm Kagome," she stammered, looking down at her toes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause anyone trouble."  
  
Kasumi sensed the girl was feeling hideously embarrassed to be caught in the middle of the family crisis. She put a gentle arm around Kagome's shoulders. "It's not your fault, Kagome. How did you know how to stop him?"  
  
Nodoka looked surprised. She had come into the room just after Ranma had been rendered unconscious. "This girl stopped my Ranma?"  
  
Akane had gotten to her feet. Kagome felt even worse, looking at her friend's bruised face. "How did you do it, Kagome?"  
  
Kagome took a deep breath. "I just guessed, I was pretty sure that what worked on one demon might work on another. I just hoped I wouldn't hurt him too much."  
  
"Hey, what's going on? Why am I all tied up?" Ranma had woken looking confused and a little upset to find himself tied down. He started to struggle against the ropes, but his mother laid a comforting hand on his head. "Mom? When did you get here?"  
  
She smiled down at him. "I came back early. I'm so glad to see you," she said. A few tears suddenly shone in her eyes. "I was scared that when you woke up, you wouldn't by my son anymore."  
  
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" He stared up at his mother and then saw Akane's face. His eyes darkened. "Who hit you?" he demanded, trying to tear the ropes off.  
  
Nodoka gently held her son down. "You hit her, Ranma," she said, starting to work on the knots. "You hit Soun and your father too, don't you remember?"  
  
"I what?" Ranma was incredulous. "I did not! I'd never hurt Akane. Pops probably deserved it but I don't beat up girls!" He felt deeply insulted that his own mother thought he'd sink so low.  
  
Nodoka and Akane looked questioningly at Kagome. "He really doesn't remember," she told them, thinking of Inuyasha's rages. He said he didn't have any conscious memory of slaughtering those bandits. On the other hand, he'd also said he didn't feel bad about it, but she knew he'd been sickened by his uncontrollable violence.  
  
"Remember what?" Ranma sat up, shoving the last of the ropes away from him. He got to his feet and looked around. They were all looking at him like he was a sideshow freak about to do a trick. "What are you staring at?" he demanded.  
  
"Maybe you should look in a mirror," Nabiki said in dry voice.  
  
Ranma sat at the table, holding a cup of hot tea in his hands and scowling. "Another curse. Just my fucking luck."  
  
"Ranma!" his mother looked disapproving at his choice of words. He ducked his head. "Sorry," he muttered, feeling abused. "Oh man, just look at me, I look like a freak!"  
  
"Typical," Nabiki said, grinning. "Just like Ranma to worry about his looks first." He glared at her and to his surprise the normally implacable Nabiki flinched away from him. For that matter, so did everyone at the table except Kagome.  
  
"You're scaring them," Kagome murmured softly. "Teeth, remember." He realized he had bared his fangs at them and covered his mouth with his hand. "I'm not going back to school looking like this. People will run away screaming."  
  
The girl put her chin in her hand and looked at him. "It's not that bad, Ranma, I've seen worse. Oh, don't glare at me like that," she said, irritated.  
  
"Am I stuck like this forever?" he demanded. For some reason, Kagome wasn't even the least bit intimidated by his appearance.  
  
"How should I know?" she shot back at him. "It's not my family curse."  
  
"Yeah, but you sure seem to know a lot about demons," he growled. Kagome flushed. "It's complicated," she said. Ranma bounced to his feet, waving his clawed hands. "And this isn't complicated? What did that damn Shikon whatever do to me? I've got fangs and claws for crying out loud. Am I going to sprout a tail or something next?"  
  
She swallowed nervously. "Maybe. I don't know what kind of demon you are." He turned pale and sank back down, putting his face in his hands. "Please tell me you're kidding."  
  
Kagome felt sorry for him, she honestly did. Very quietly, she decided to tell him the truth. "Ranma, you shouldn't be worried about what you look like. You should be worried about what you could do. Nobody died today, but I don't know if you'll be that lucky again. Next time it could be much worse, even I might not be able to stop you from doing something you'll regret."  
  
Akane caught her breath. "You mean he could go crazy again?"  
  
Kagome nodded. "I don't know what could set it off. It can be very dangerous, some demons are awful." She thought of Naraku and shuddered. If the rage came upon him again, Ranma could easily kill everyone in the house and then start in on the whole neighborhood. I need to get him out of here somehow, she decided.  
  
"I know some people who might be able to help you," she said softly, looking at her hands. Sango and Miroku both knew a lot more about demons than she did, even Kaede might have some knowledge about how to help Ranma control himself. The Sengoku Jidai would be safer for everyone, she thought, and he won't stick out like a sore thumb either.  
  
Ranma sat and stared at his claws. "I guess I don't have a choice," he muttered. "Where are these people, is it far away?"  
  
"I guess you could say it is," she said, looking around the table. The Tendo daughters and Ranma's mother were watching her carefully. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything more," she said, embarrassed.  
  
She forced herself to face Nodoka. "If Ranma comes with me, I can't tell you where we're going. I can't tell you when we'll be back either." Kagome looked down at her hands, ashamed for what the Shikon no Tama had done to this family. Her eyes burned and she blinked back a few tears.  
  
"Hey," Akane said gently, putting her arm around the girl. "Kagome, don't cry. This isn't your fault, you're trying to help. If you hadn't been here, we don't know what could have happened."  
  
Ranma scooted around the table to sit next to her. "Hey, it's my stupid curse, you shouldn't blame yourself. If you think you know someone who can help, that's good enough for me. I'll take any help I can get."  
  
Kagome smiled in spite of herself. "Does that mean that you want to come with me? It won't be easy, I'm warning you right now."  
  
He snorted and shook his head. "Nothing in my life is ever easy, I'm used to it." He reached up and fingered one of his pointed ears. "So you're sure your friends aren't going to freak out when they see me?"  
  
"I'm going too," Akane said firmly.  
  
Ranma turned to glare at her. "Oh no, you're not! Didn't you hear Kagome? It's dangerous, the last thing I need is a girl following me around."  
  
"I don't care." She folded her arms over her chest and looked around at them. "Someone's got to keep an eye on you, it might as well be me. I'm not scared of anything either."  
  
"Akane," her father had appeared in the doorway. He and Kasumi had returned from taking Genma to the hospital. "Akane, I cannot permit you to accompany Ranma, it's just too dangerous for you."  
  
She stood up and faced her father. "Not this time, Dad. I'm going with Ranma. All my life you've trained me to take care of myself and you know I can do it. I know this is dangerous, look at what just happened. But I'm not going to let Ranma face this alone, even if he doesn't want me around, I'm going to do this."  
  
Ranma flushed. "It's not that I don't want you around," he muttered. "I just don't want you to get hurt again."  
  
"I know that. But I'm still willing to take my chances, give me credit at least for that. You wouldn't let me go off alone to face something like this, would you?"  
  
He didn't answer, just sat and looked at his claws. It was weird, they felt natural somehow, like he'd always known there were there on the inside. The fangs hurt, his mouth ached and he'd already bit his tongue twice. "I guess not," he said finally. "Just promise that you'll get out of the way if I freak out or anything. I don't think I could stand it if this happens again."  
  
Akane smiled, her face lighting up. "You got it."  
  
Sango was lying on the ground, her face hidden in the thick leaves that covered this part of the forest. She poked the kitsune. "What's he doing now?" she whispered.  
  
Shippo wiggled backward. "He's just walking around in a circle, muttering to himself. I can't hear what he's saying, but I bet it's really rude."  
  
"Count on it," Miroku said, kneeling beside them. Sango jumped, the monk could move so quietly when he wanted to. "I thought you weren't coming," she said.  
  
He grinned at her, lying down on his belly between her and Shippo. "I couldn't stand it, I'm just as bad as you two."  
  
"Shhhh, he'll hear you," Shippo warned. They crept closer so that everyone could get a good view of the well.  
  
The last week had been difficult. Inuyasha had been keeping to himself pretty much ever since Miroku had let him have it for annoying the villagers. When he did show his face, he was sullen and withdrawn, growling at the most innocent questions. Shippo had even begun to feel sorry for the hanyou and tried teasing him out of his foul temper. This had been a successful tactic for the most part, Inuyasha definitely seemed to perk up after a good chase. Shippo ended up paying the price and was sporting some new bruises for his trouble. Kagome would be furious if she saw them, he thought, but the hanyou could have certainly dealt him more damage.  
  
"He's going to wear a rut in the ground if he keeps this up," Miroku muttered. Inuyasha continued to circle the well, peering into its depths occasionally and swearing to himself.  
  
He stopped suddenly and glared into the well. "Bitch," he shouted. "This time I'm not coming for you, I'm not going to wait around any longer. I don't care if you fucking ever come back, you can stay the hell over there!"  
  
"Oh no you don't," Miroku said, bursting out of the forest. Inuyasha jumped, the monk was advancing on him with a determined expression. Shippo and Sango followed him and he fixed them all with a furious glare. "You three have been spying on me again!"  
  
"So what?" Sango said angrily. "It's about time you quit acting like a big baby and just go after Kagome."  
  
"Make me," he sneered, turning his back to them defiantly. "I'd like to see you try it, you bunch of cowards."  
  
WHACK! Miroku hit the hanyou with his staff at the same time Sango swung her boomerang at his legs. Inuyasha was bowled over by the attack and stumbled against the side of the well. Sango and Miroku rushed him and flipped the startled half-demon over the side.  
  
"Say hello to Kagome-chan for me!" Shippo called out in delight.  
  
Sango bent over the side of the well. She found it fascinating that there was a whole different world on the other side, one that only Kagome and Inuyasha seemed to be able to cross into. She leaned on her elbows and grinned, the cranky hanyou was long gone. "Do you think we should wait here for them?"  
  
Miroku smiled, Sango was oblivious of the view that she was affording him. He leaned over the side next to her and casually put his hand on her bottom and squeezed. "I can think of something else for us to do if you don't want to wait here."  
  
The girl grabbed the monk by his robes and heaved him into the well. Shippo heard a thud and a yelp when Miroku landed hard. "Here, you can wait for Inuyasha," she said with a satisfied smirk. "Shippo and I are going back to the village."  
  
Miroku started to climb out of the well. "You know, I just may have overstepped the limits of good taste." The monk grinned. "And it was worth it as usual, dear Sango."  
  
END CHAPTER 3


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Ranma characters.

CHAPTER 4  
  
"Pack as much extra clothing as you can carry," Kagome told them. "Don't worry about bringing too much, you'd be surprised how fast you can go through it."  
  
Akane and Ranma had packed their bags for a long trip. "Where the hell do you think she's taking us?" Ranma whispered to Akane. The girl shrugged. "Why are you asking me?"  
  
It was getting very late by the time they were ready to start out for Kagome's house. The girl was still muttering to herself as they walked. "Damn, I need more first aid supplies, especially that one burn cream that works so well. I hope Mom remembered to buy some more bug spray. I can't deal with the mosquitoes this time of year, they're huge."  
  
Ranma shook his head. "She's not making any sense." They'd set out at a brisk pace, Kagome was hoping to be home by midnight. She looked over her shoulder at her friends. "It's okay," she said smiling. "My mom is used to me doing strange things. We'll spend the night at my place and head out at first light. I told them I'd be back in a week no matter what so they'll be expecting me.  
  
"Who is expecting you?" Akane asked. Kagome kept babbling to herself. "I guess Ranma will have to stay with Sota, at least he won't freak out over having a demon sleeping in his bedroom. Oh, I hope grandfather is asleep when we get there, I don't want to be up all night trying to keep him from performing exorcisms."  
  
"Exorcisms?" Ranma looked horrified, he didn't like the idea of some old coot trying to chant over him. "What are you talking about, and who's this Sota and why am I sleeping in his bedroom?"  
  
"Hmmm?" Kagome looked distracted. "Sota is my little brother, you'll like him, even if he is a pest. He's going to be thrilled to death that you're camping on his floor." Her expression turned positively mischievous. "My mom's pretty easygoing, but she still doesn't like the idea of boys spending the night in my room. I've pushed my luck too far on that one already."  
  
They had reached the shrine. "You live here?" Akane was impressed. "I've gone by this place a hundred times, I didn't know that anyone was living on the grounds."  
  
Kagome looked proud. "My family have been the caretakers of this shrine for generations. It's actually a very sacred place, but luckily it's not well known. The tourist season is a real bear to live with, let me tell you."  
  
"So are you like a priestess in training or something," Ranma wanted to know. It seemed like this girl was just full of surprises.  
  
Kagome made a rude noise. "No way, but my grandfather would love the idea. I'd like to do something more exciting than tend a dusty old shrine and sell trinkets to the tourists. He's been trying to talk my little brother into joining the priesthood, but Sota won't let him shave his head. Can't blame him there."  
  
She brought her friends up the steep steps and into the shrine's main grounds. "See, there's my house. Ooooh, looks like everyone is asleep. Let's try to be quiet and not wake up my mother. I'd rather explain everything in the morning."  
  
The girl led them quietly into her home and up the stairs. "This is my room," she whispered, turning on the lights. "You can just put your stuff on the bed, I've got to go wake up Sota and clue him in on the situation."  
  
"Kagome, where's your bathroom?" Akane followed the girl down the hall and disappeared into the darkness.  
  
Ranma sat down on the end of Kagome's bed to wait. Across from him was a large mirror. He scowled at his reflection. The pointy ears weren't that noticeable in his thick hair, but the markings on the sides of his face were very vivid. "I look like a damn kabuki actor," he muttered. He bared his teeth at his reflection. "Whoa, no wonder they were scared of me, I'm a freaking nightmare."  
  
Depressed, he turned away from the mirror and started looking around the room. There was nothing to indicate it belonged to anyone other than a normal teenage girl. Only she wasn't a normal teenage girl, just one that could stop raging demons in their tracks. He couldn't remember what had happened, he could just recall a painful sensation coming over him when he held the jewel shard. He flinched away from the memory. That cold, evil feeling and a brilliant flash of light were not a pleasant thought.  
  
He still couldn't believe he'd gone that crazy. Akane's face was going to be sporting a wicked bruise tomorrow. He didn't even remember hitting her, let alone breaking four of his father's ribs and nearly giving Soun Tendo a concussion. He looked at his clawed fingers, there was still a few traces of his father's blood on them. He sniffed at them, feeling a little thrill from somewhere deep inside his body. He felt sick suddenly, thinking how easily it could have been Akane's blood too.  
  
He almost jumped out of his skin when the window slammed open behind him. "Damn you, Kagome," a harsh voice rang out. "What is your fucking problem this time?"  
  
Ranma was amazed. A wild looking young man had just pulled himself through Kagome's bedroom window and now froze, staring at him. He stared back, his mouth open in surprise. The guy would have deserved a second look anywhere. He had long silvery white hair and strange golden eyes. To top it all off, the guy was dressed like he'd just stepped off the set of a samurai movie, complete with a katana slung at his hip.  
  
"Hi," Ranma said, watching as the young man's expression darkened. "You must be a friend of Kagome's." The strange young man didn't answer, but sniffed the air instead. His eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted into a snarl. "Who the fuck are you?"  
  
Ranma fidgeted, his hand going to the back of his head nervously. "I'm Ranma Saotome," he said. "Sorry about this."  
  
The guy grinned nastily, showing a mouthful of sharp fangs identical to Ranma's. "Sorry? Oh believe me, you're gonna be sorry."  
  
"Come on, Sota. Wake up already." Kagome nudged her little brother again. He turned over and buried his face in his pillow. "Go away, it's not time for school yet."  
  
She tickled his ears. "I brought you a new friend to play with," she teased. "A real live demon wants to sleep in your room." That got his attention. The kid sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Who is he? Is it Inuyasha?"  
  
Kagome pulled the blankets back. "No, silly, this is a new one, you haven't met him yet. Come on, move your butt and I'll introduce you to him." She knew the boy would probably keep poor Ranma up for the rest of the night with questions, but it couldn't be helped. "And I even brought you a pretty girl to talk to, her name is Akane."  
  
"Girls are dumb," Sota yawned, hopping out of bed. "I want to see the demon." She guided her little brother down the hall. They were almost at the door when a loud crash sounded from inside her bedroom.  
  
Kagome flung open the door but the room was empty. Her bedroom window was shattered, it looked like something had been thrown through it. "Oh shit," she murmured. She pushed Sota out of the way. "Don't come in," she warned. "There's broken glass everywhere."  
  
Akane skidded to a stop and almost ran over the kid. "What was that, where's Ranma?" Kagome picked her way through the glass to peer out the window. What she saw made her heart freeze. "Shit, shit, SHIT!" she cried, spinning around and running for the door. She grabbed the startled Akane by the arm and dragged her down the stairs, Sota at their heels.  
  
"Kagome, what's happening?" her mother's voice called down the hall. Mrs. Higurashi was pulling on her nightrobe as she followed her daughter out the back door. "I'm sorry, Mom," Kagome yelled over her shoulder. "I'll sort it out, I promise."  
  
In the courtyard, Inuyasha had the demon pinned to the ground and was trying his best to beat him to death. Ranma rolled around trying to get some kind of leverage against the maniac who'd attacked him. "This is a mistake," he howled desperately.  
  
Inuyasha savagely pummeled him again. "You bet your ass it's a mistake. Where's Kagome, what have you done to her? I'm gonna fucking kill you, you damn youkai bastard!"  
  
"Inuyasha, no!" Kagome shrieked. She flung herself at the hanyou and tackled him, no time for a sit at this point. They rolled over the hard stone courtyard, Ranma scrambled away from them, blood pouring from his nose. "You son of a bitch," he shouted.  
  
"Kagome, what the hell are you doing?" She'd landed on top of him and held him down, her fists knotted in his haori. He was glad to see she was alive, but her face was a mask of anger. "You stupid asshole," she screamed right in his face. "He's a friend, damn it!"  
  
"A friend of whose?" he demanded, grabbing her arms and hoisting her off him. He shoved her to the side and got to his feet, looking murderously at Ranma. "Since when do you have youkai friends I don't know about, bitch?"  
  
The girl got to her feet and planted herself in front of him. "What are you trying to say?" she growled at him. Inuyasha gulped. Kagome could be downright frightening when she was this angry. "What was I supposed to think? You disappear for a week and then when I come to get you, there's a strange demon standing in your bedroom. I didn't know he was a friend, I thought maybe he'd kidnapped or killed you. I was scared I came too late."  
  
She stopped, a funny expression on her face. "You were scared for me?" He backed away, hoping this didn't mean a sit was about to happen. "Of course, how the hell was I to know you were okay?"  
  
Kagome smiled at him, sunshine after the storm. "I guess I shouldn't be mad then. I'm sorry Inuyasha, I didn't mean to make you worry."  
  
The hanyou stared at her, hardly believing the way she changed gears on him. The girl grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the fuming, bleeding demon. "This is Ranma," she said with a smile. A girl was trying to mop the demon's face with her handkerchief. "And this is Akane."  
  
"And this is the middle of the night," Mrs. Higurashi's voice said, thick with disapproval. "Kagome, do you think it would be too much trouble for you to bring your friends inside the house before the neighbors call the police?"  
  
Kagome's face burned crimson. "I'm sorry, Mom. It was all just a misunderstanding."  
  
"Misunderstanding, my ass," Ranma grunted. He batted Akane's handkerchief away from him. "I'm all right, leave off for a minute, would you?"  
  
Akane gave him a cold look as she turned away. "I'm so sorry about the trouble, please don't be angry with Kagome," she smiled winningly at Kagome's mother. "My name is Akane Tendo, your daughter has told me so much about you, Mrs. Higurashi. We've got a little crisis on our hands and Kagome is the only person who can help. I'm terribly embarrassed, please don't think badly of us for bursting in on you like this."  
  
Kagome's mother tilted her head to the side, a sly smile on her lips. "My, aren't you a well spoken young lady. My daughter could learn a few things from you. I'm not angry, dear. I heard the crash and I had a feeling that Inuyasha must be somewhere near."  
  
The hanyou flushed until his face was nearly the same shade as his clothing. "I'm sorry," he muttered, looking anywhere but at Kagome's mother.  
  
"I know, dear," she smiled at the half-demon's furious blush. "Why don't you all follow me into the kitchen and have something hot to eat? I had thought all this peace and quiet was too good to last."  
  
"My god, isn't your mother a good sport about this," Akane murmured to Kagome as the girls got dressed that morning. "I'd still be trying to pry my father off the walls."  
  
Mrs. Higurashi had made them a quick snack the night before, watched the way that Inuyasha and Ranma had gobbled down the food, and turned back to the stove and made twice as much again. Finally, she yawned loudly and shook the sleepy Sota awake. "I think the lot of you should get what rest you can tonight. You girls head up to bed now. Ranma, please feel free to sleep on the couch in the living room. It's a lot more comfortable than Sota's floor." She turned an appraising look on the white haired dog- demon. "As for you," she began, grinning at him for his disdain of such amenities as beds.  
  
"I'll be outside," he'd answered promptly. He fixed Ranma with a distrustful glare. "Right outside, in case anyone needs me."  
  
Kagome went to her open, broken window. She pushed her head outside, feeling the crisp morning breeze on her cheeks. "Looking for me?" a voice asked her sourly.  
  
Inuyasha's head poked over the side of the roof. "Did you sleep outside my window?" she wanted to know. He flipped over the side and slid into the room. "Of course I did," he snapped. "I'm not going to trust anyone I don't know."  
  
"Are you always this paranoid?" Akane asked, brushing her short dark hair. "Or should I feel privileged?"  
  
He snorted. "I wasn't talking about you, girl. I was talking about that damn demon." Kagome kicked his leg playfully. "Yes, he always is this paranoid. Don't take it personally, it's just him."  
  
"Bah," he said, waving his hand in a rudely dismissive gesture. "Can we go now? We've got more important things to do than stand around here and yap at each other."  
  
"Okay, okay, we're going." Kagome sighed and shouldered her massive backpack. Inuyasha snatched it away from her and bounced off out the window. "Then move it, I ain't got all day," he called out.  
  
"I'm using the door like a normal person," she yelled back. Akane was looking at her with a slightly confused expression. Kagome flipped her hair over her shoulder and grinned. "See what I mean? No consideration for anyone else. Just like a guy."  
  
They trotted happily down the stairs, Kagome pausing for a moment to kiss her mother on the cheek. "I'll be back as soon as I can," she promised. Her mother rolled her eyes. "I've heard that before."  
  
Akane and Kagome stopped just outside. Inuyasha and Ranma were glaring at each other, looking ready to restart the fight from the night before. Tension had filled the small courtyard and youkai tempers were obviously in residence. Kagome squared her shoulders and walked right between the two tall young men, Akane a bare heartbeat behind her. "Knock it off," she said, slapping Inuyasha on the chest.  
  
Akane squared off against Ranma, her jaw set firmly. "No more fighting," she told him sternly. He scowled at her, a lovely bruise had blossomed over his right eye, a perfect match for her own. "I'm serious, Ranma. I know you're still angry, but for now can't you just let it go?"  
  
Inuyasha smirked. "Nice eye there, punk. Bet you'd like to pay me back for it, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Looking forward to it," Ranma answered coldly. He turned away from the hanyou very deliberately. "Kagome, where is this place you want us to go?"  
  
She let out her breath in a slow exhale, she didn't realize she'd been holding it in. "Easy guys, let's all just try to get along for a little while longer." Inuyasha tossed his head and stalked away, heading for the shed that contained the hidden well.  
  
Ranma and Akane followed Kagome into the shed. "Okay, this is a little hard to explain. This is a dry well, I don't know why, but it's also some kind of portal. Not everyone can use it, but I think with both me and Inuyasha here, we should be able to get you two through to the other side."  
  
"Other side of what?" Ranma asked, peering into the depths of the well. Kagome grinned. "To the warring states era, the Sengoku Jidai, roughly five hundred years in the past."  
  
"What?" Both Ranma and Akane were taken aback by her casual statement. "You've got to be joking," Ranma stated. Akane nodded. "How can a well take us into the past?"  
  
Kagome stepped over to Inuyasha and tugged at his long white hair. "Come on, you didn't think he was from around here, did you?" He grunted and ignored her, still watching Ranma with his distrustful yellow gaze. "It's not important how it works," she told them. "I'm not even sure I really want to know why it works, but I've been crossing over for more than a year. I know it sounds crazy, but what happened to you last night was crazy too."  
  
Ranma and Akane still looked a bit hesitant. Inuyasha folded his arms over his chest and favored the two teenagers with a condescending expression. "I don't care if you believe her or not," he said in a snotty tone. "Go back home if you're too afraid to jump in and see for yourself."  
  
Ranma growled low in his throat. Akane looked surprised at the sound and backed away from him nervously. Inuyasha's smile became decidedly unpleasant. "You scared to go in there, punk?"  
  
"I'm not scared of anything," Ranma snapped. "I'll be waiting for you on the other side." The boy jumped into the air and fell down the well. Kagome and Akane rushed to the side to look into its depths. "Wow, he really went through," Kagome breathed.  
  
Akane looked at her. "Why do you sound so surprised?" The girl shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't work for every demon, as far as I knew, only Inuyasha can cross into our time. Good thing too, I don't even want to think about some of those monsters getting loose in Tokyo and raising hell."  
  
"What about me? Will I just fall through to the other side too?" Akane was getting a bit more nervous. The well was dark and dingy, she could barely make out the bottom. There's got to be spiders or something down there, she thought.  
  
Kagome rubbed her arm comfortingly. "Come on, I'll jump with you. I think if I hold your hand, you will get through okay." She didn't tell Akane about the time that Inuyasha had sealed the well against her by stealing her jewel fragment. She patted her pocket, the tiny shard was safe enough for now.  
  
"Uh, no," Akane was backing away from her now. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. I want to help Ranma but I'm not sure about falling into a different world. What if we can't come back, my family won't know what happened."  
  
"Akane," Kagome said, concerned. "I swear its safe, just jump in quickly. It's best if you don't think about it too much."  
  
She was embarrassed. "I'm scared of dark, closed spaces," she confessed. She didn't think she could force herself to look into the well again and turned away from her friend, her face burning shamefully.  
  
A pair of strong arms seized her from behind and whisked her off her feet. "Hey," she shouted.  
  
Inuyasha laughed. "Don't be such a girl about it." Kagome stared as the hanyou jumped to the side of the well and dropped inside, Akane's scream of terror echoed briefly and then was cut off. Kagome rushed to the side of the well and looked inside. "I guess that was one way to handle the situation," she muttered, throwing her pack and Akane's down the well before leaping over the edge herself.  
  
Akane clutched at the half-demon's arms as she fell, his laugh still echoing in her ears. She was falling, she was floating, then she was falling again through a light spangled darkness. She stared in disbelief as the walls of the well became solid around them again and she smelled the scent of wildflowers.  
  
Inuyasha touched down gently, hardly jarring her as the ground became firm underneath them. "See, nothing to worry about," he grinned. She twisted her head to look back at him. The well was open above them and she could see the sky was a startling blue. She felt his body tense as the half- demon crouched slightly and leapt easily out of the well.  
  
Akane stared around her, still hanging limply as she looked around them. They were in a small grassy glade, lush trees surrounded them and she could hear birds chirping softly in the forest. "I don't believe it," she said faintly. Her head was dizzy from the experience, if Inuyasha hadn't been holding her up, she would have collapsed from the shock of her transition.  
  
"Inuyasha!" A stooped old woman was bearing down on them, her wrinkled face set with disapproval. She glowered at the hanyou. "Please tell me that you did not kidnap that girl from Kagome's country. It is most improper for you to do so."  
  
"I didn't kidnap nobody, you old bat," he snapped, dropping the girl abruptly. Akane staggered against the side of the well, her knees didn't seem to want to support her at the moment. The old woman turned a gentle look on the girl. "Is that the truth, child? Be you his prisoner or here of your own free will?"  
  
"I'm, I'm not his prisoner," she said, still bemused by her surroundings. Inuyasha was vindicated. "Hah, see old hag? I didn't kidnap her. And I'm sick of everyone around here thinking I'm some kind of freak pervert, next time you accuse me of anything, you'd better be prepared to back it up."  
  
"Oh be still," Kaede said, helping the poor girl to her feet. "My name is Kaede, I'm priestess of this village. Where is Kagome, I had thought she'd return by now."  
  
"I'm here," the girl huffed, pulling herself out of the well. Inuyasha made no move to help her this time with her heavy packs. He was still in a snit over Kaede's accusations. Kagome wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I see you've met Akane," she smiled. The priestess returned her smile warmly.  
  
"Yes, this is the first time you've brought a friend with you, Kagome. What is the purpose of such a visit?"  
  
Kagome's eyes went wide and she searched the glade. "Oh my god, I almost forgot," she said. "Where's Ranma, didn't he come out of the well with you two?"  
  
Inuyasha scowled. "He wasn't here when I came through," he muttered. He sniffed the air, looking for the young youkai's scent. "Come on," he growled, heading for the forest. The girls ran after him, trying to keep up with his rapid pace.  
  
Kaede sighed and made her way back to the village. More young people all the time, she thought. This once used to be such a peaceful village.  
  
Ranma felt his feet meet the ground lightly. "Wow, what a trip," he murmured, looking around the sides of the wells. Pretty wildflowers grew thick on the vines that covered the inside of the shaft and he made short work of the climb out. "Wow," he said again. Lush greenery surrounded him and Ranma felt his heart give a little thump of happiness. He swung his legs over the side and started to explore the small glade.  
  
He grinned unconsciously, enjoying the sight and smell of the wilderness. He hadn't realized until just this moment how thick and rank the air in Tokyo was. The young demon took a deep breath, filling his lungs with a fresh green smell of forest. He laughed, feeling giddy and just a little high on the rich air. His ears twitched at a sound and he followed.  
  
He heard the sound of a rabbit hiding in the brush. The small creature's heart beat rapidly, sensing a predator nearby. Without realizing it, his ears had tuned to the rabbit's pulse, the smell of the hare was rich in his nostrils. He jumped for the tiny animal, his clawed fingers scrabbling joyfully in the soft green grass.  
  
He missed, but he caught the hare's scent again and pursued it deeper into the forest. His whole body felt alive with the chase and he pounced like a happy puppy on the frightened hare. He caught it this time and held the rabbit up and gave a joyful bark at his success. He might have broken its neck and eaten the hare raw, but a twig snapped just behind him and new scent tickled his nose.  
  
The young demon whirled, his body going into a crouch as he dropped the lucky hare and it bounded away from him. A girl appeared from the cover of the trees, a beautiful girl. Ranma stood up a bit straighter, strange, pleasant sensations coursing in his veins. The girl looked at him levelly, no humor or expression on her face. She was wearing a tight black outfit, it showed off her lovely legs and figure. He smiled hesitantly, drawing closer.  
  
She pulled a large boomerang off her back, her expression quite serious. "That's close enough, demon."  
  
He stopped, wary of the weapon she held. Her scent was distracting, somewhere in the back of his mind, Ranma knew the rules of the game. He should tell her his name, tell her he meant her no harm. But speech seemed to be something that he'd left on the other side of the dry well. His eyes were focused on the girl's face and she flushed uncomfortably at his frank, interested stare.  
  
"Uh, just keep your distance," Sango said, backing away. The youkai was staring at her in way that made her feel very vulnerable. She hadn't run across one like this before, he looked almost human, with a young man's good looking face and intense blue eyes. Of course the markings on his cheeks were a dead giveaway, if the fangs and clawed hands didn't make him obvious.  
  
Ranma was fascinated. The scent of the girl's skin made him dizzy and excited all the same time. He didn't want to hurt her, he just wanted to be a bit closer, just to feel the warmth that radiated off her like a summer sun. He stepped forward and she stepped back. Her posture was defensive, like she knew how to take care of herself. Although uneasy, there was no trace of fear in her pretty eyes. She lowered her chin with a serious look on her face.  
  
He crept closer, listening to the sound her blood rushing in her body. "Don't be afraid," he whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you." Sango tensed, her hands tightened on her weapon. "I know you aren't," she said smoothly.  
  
He pounced suddenly, moving faster than she'd expected. Unable to make a clean throw, she swung the boomerang with all her might, bringing the flat of the weapon up and striking him hard in the face. The demon fell back, stunned from her blow, a thin trickle of blood streaming from his nose.  
  
"What am I doing?" His voice sounded confused and Sango hesitated before taking a lethal strike at the youkai. She noticed his face was already bruised, like someone had used him for a battering dummy. Now that he wasn't staring at her in such a lewd, intentional way, she could see that he was hardly more than a boy, youkai or not.  
  
She took a few steps back, not dropping her guard for an instant. She kept her weapon ready, it wouldn't be first time a youkai had tried to play on her pity to get at her. "What's your name?" she demanded harshly. "Why did you come here, are you looking for trouble? I won't allow you to harm any humans in the village."  
  
A crashing sound interrupted her interrogation. The young youkai looked up dumbly as Kagome, Inuyasha and a strange girl joined them. To her surprise, the two girls knelt at the demon's side, one of them trying to wipe away the blood.  
  
Inuyasha whistled softly, a pleased grin breaking over his face as he surveyed the damage the youkai's face. "I see you've been making friends with Sango," he chuckled.  
  
END CHAPTER 4


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Ranma characters.

CHAPTER 6  
  
Kaede circled the odd looking youkai, puzzling over the implications of the boy's appearance. "I'm sorry, Kagome child. I've never seen anything quite like him before."  
  
Kagome sighed, it was too much to ask that the old priestess would have an easy answer. She reached over and patted Akane's hand. "This doesn't mean we're going to stop trying," she said.  
  
Ranma rubbed the back of his neck. He was mortally embarrassed by what had happened in the woods. It seemed like a crazy dream, his body was taken over by something he didn't understand. He looked up and met the eyes of the demon exterminator, flushed and ducked away. He hoped she hadn't been able to tell what was going through his mind.  
  
Akane came over to sit next to him. He glanced over at her, apologetic. "Something came over me," he said simply. "Everything just hit me all at once, all these smells and feelings like I'd never had before. I didn't want to hurt anyone."  
  
"It was very lucky for everyone that the first person you encountered was Sango," Miroku said. "I can tell you from personal experience that she won't put up with any inappropriate behavior from a youkai, or a human for that matter."  
  
Sango grinned. "Doesn't stop you from trying though, does it, houshi- sama?" She had recovered her sense of humor about the situation and bore no ill will toward the young demon. "Listen Ranma, I know you didn't mean to make me uncomfortable. I'm willing to put the incident behind us if you are."  
  
"Thanks," he said, recovering his equilibrium a bit more. "I promise you won't have to hit me with that thing again."  
  
Kagome planted her chin on her hand and looked around the room. "So does anyone have any ideas? The poor guy can't go home looking like this and we sure can't have him running around and going crazy on people. He needs to find some way to get his youkai instincts under control. Maybe we can find a cure."  
  
"You're talking like it's some kind of disease," Inuyasha rumbled. He sat a little bit away from the rest of the group. "Even if he started as a human, he's a youkai now and he'd just better face the fact. There ain't no cure." Kagome leaned over. "You're not being helpful, Inuyasha." He scowled and bounded to his feet. "You're not being realistic," he snapped. He paced around the room to stand in front of Ranma, looking down at the young man with undisguised contempt. "Just because everyone here is feeling sorry for you doesn't mean that I'm going to put up with any shit. You get out of line around me and I'll put you down so fast you'll wonder what hit you."  
  
Ranma's face flushed with anger. "You think because you got the jump on me once means that I'm going to let you push me around?"  
  
"Punk, if you want to go another few rounds, I'm there." He turned on his heel and stalked out of the hut. "I'll be outside if you have the balls to come after me."  
  
Ranma jumped to his feet and stamped out the door. "Looks like you really need someone to take you down a few notches. Lucky for you that's my specialty. Let's settle this thing right now."  
  
"Damn it," Kagome hissed, following them. "Demons are so stupid. They've always got to fight to prove their dominance. It's disgusting, really."  
  
Akane grinned. "Ranma was like that before he turned into a demon. He's always been that full of himself."  
  
The girls followed the pair of demons into the woods, Sango and Miroku trailing behind them. Inuyasha stopped when he reached a clearing, turning around to eye Ranma with an open hostility.  
  
Ranma just shook his head, it was obvious to him that the hanyou was used to bullying people to get his way. He cracked his knuckles, anticipating a good fight if nothing else. Some guys just had to learn the hard way.  
  
Inuyasha looked him over, a familiar sneer on his face. No weapons would be needed, he decided. He drew the Tetsusaiga in its sheath from his sash and held it up in front of Ranma. "This sword was left to me by my father. I'm only just beginning to understand some of the things it can do. I just want you to know, in the interest of a fair fight, I'm going to hold back and not use its powers against you."  
  
Ranma laughed. "Sure, whatever you say. You sure you can handle a fight without your precious widdle sword?" He smirked, looking over at Akane. "Get a load of this guy, he thinks he's doing me a favor or something." He laughed again, turning back to the hanyou just in time to see a blur of motion. Inuyasha had rushed at the young demon, bringing his scabbarded blade down across his face in a vicious blow. Even Ranma's reflexes couldn't compensate and he fell hard to the ground.  
  
The onlookers winced in sympathy. "That was a dirty move," Akane shouted, outraged by Inuyasha's tactics.  
  
"Dirty's the only way Inuyasha fights," Shippo commented, climbing up Miroku's shoulder for a better view. This was going to be good, he just knew it.  
  
Inuyasha casually tossed his sword to the side. "I didn't think you could back up your mouth, punk. You need to pay more attention when you're fighting someone like me."  
  
Ranma got to his feet, his face still stinging. "That's okay, I'm used to people who need to pull tricks in a fight. It's all part of the game."  
  
"Then let's play," Inuyasha grinned. He made another blinding rush at Ranma, his fist cocked for a serious blow. He swung and missed, Ranma simply wasn't where he had been a moment ago. He had jumped just out of the hanyou's reach, landed lightly behind him and now delivered a stinging kick to the back of Inuyasha's head. The half-demon went face down into the dirt.  
  
"That looked like it hurt," Miroku told Sango. The exterminator just shook her head. "He has it coming, houshi-sama."  
  
Ranma chuckled, the cocky bastard didn't know what hit him. He was used to fighting with opponents who relied on more than brute strength to get the job done. Ranma moved easily into a classic stance. "Excuse me, I'm over here asshole. Did you just trip over your own feet or something?"  
  
Inuyasha got up, snarling. He rushed the demon again, Ranma only spun gracefully around him, letting the hanyou's wild swings graze just out of range. "God you're slow, you sure that you don't want to admit defeat now? I promise to go easy on you."  
  
"I love it, he can barely land a blow on this guy," Shippo breathed excitedly. He'd been on the receiving end of far too many of Inuyasha's temper tantrums to not enjoy seeing him get beat.  
  
Sango poked the kitsune. "Who's side are you on, anyway?" She watched as Ranma did a neat handstand and evaded Inuyasha's angry attack. The hanyou took another hard kick in the face and staggered back a bit, surprised by the amount of force the new demon could put behind his footwork.  
  
"Getting tired?" Ranma taunted, unable to keep himself from goading the half-demon again. Inuyasha rushed him, making a vicious strike with his claws. "I'm going to rip off your head and feed you your balls, bastard!"  
  
"Oh great, the blood's rushed to his head again," Kagome muttered. She knew she could stop this fight before it got ugly, but part of her wanted to see how Ranma would handle himself. The guy was obviously well skilled as a martial artist, but youkai blood changed everything. Maybe it wasn't kind to let Inuyasha take the brunt of her curiosity, but he'd never forgive her for a sit right now.  
  
Akane covered her face with her hands. "They're going to kill each other," she said, wondering if anything she could say would make them stop the insane fight.  
  
Ranma danced out of the way, avoiding Inuyasha's berserker attack. Inuyasha struck the ground with his claws, opening a great gash in the earth from the energy behind the blow. Ranma laughed. "Are you almost ready to start fighting for real? I'm getting bored waiting for you to rip off my head."  
  
"I show you what bored feels like!" The hanyou charged him again and this time Ranma couldn't avoid the blinding speed of his attack. There was a sickening CRAAACK as their heads collided and they both went down.  
  
"Oh my god," Akane gasped, raising her hands to her cheeks in horror. Kagome's mouth was open in shock. Miroku leaned on his staff, an amused expression on his face. "There he goes using that rock hard head of his again."  
  
Ranma rolled over, gasping from the intense pain. It felt like a thousand Chinese gongs were ringing in his head. For a long uncomfortable moment, he thought he might actually be sick from the pain. A few feet away, Inuyasha sat up woozily. He could see three or four Ranmas on the ground in front of him. "Just stay there," he panted, trying to crawl over to his opponents. The blow had made him dizzy. "I'll finish all you guys off."  
  
Slowly, the two combatants got to their feet. Ranma felt something taking over inside his body. He'd been having fun with this fight just a moment ago, now he was angry. A cold, livid feeling rushed into his body, filling him with the desire to tear and shred his enemy. He wanted hot blood on his hands. His fingertips burned with his desire to rip the hanyou's heart out and eat it raw.  
  
Inuyasha sensed the youki building in Ranma's body and welcomed the change. Things were about to get serious and he was finished with this dancing around crap. His own battle fury was beginning to flood his senses and he reveled in the power his bloodlust woke inside him. A thin trickle of blood ran down his chin, the taste and smell of it excited him. He wiped his chin with the back of his fist. "Now that's what I'm talking about," he growled.  
  
The air above the clearing had darkened and the wind began to crackle with electricity. The humans watching the fight felt their hair stand up on their scalps at the power the two youkai were giving off. A nameless dread washed over them, human reaction to the presence of strong youki power.  
  
"What's happening?" Akane cried, shuddering. She was familiar with the powerful battle aura that Ranma could produce, but this was something entirely different. It felt nothing like the boy's ordinary ki. Ranma and Inuyasha seemed oblivious, as if they had forgotten the humans who were watching the fight. She started to back away, some instinct triggered in her body, telling her to get out of the way.  
  
Sango's eyes went wide, her nerves ringing with reaction. As a youkai exterminator, she was familiar with what could happen when two demons fought each other with charged youki. "Get the hell out of here!" she screamed, turning and dashing into the woods. Miroku grabbed Akane and Kagome by the arms. "Run for it, damn you," he shouted, dragging the girls.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome tore her arm out of the monk's grip and ran back into the clearing, trying to reach the hanyou in time to stop him.  
  
Ranma was filled with an ecstatic feeling. His blood was pounding in his veins and he felt drunk on the dark power that was singing through his body. Ahead of him, he could see a dark pillar of youki building around Inuyasha. He didn't care, the clash would be devastating and spectacular. All he knew was that at long last he was free to vent the horrifying power inside him, the demonic energy that made him twitch in his sleep and left him with red smeared dreams of conquest. He raised his arms, preparing to unleash his battle aura even as Inuyasha ran at him, snarling with a wicked fury. Ranma laughed, he didn't even recognize his own voice when something at the edge of his vision distracted him. A girl was running toward him, her long dark hair whipping out behind her in the crackling wind of youki.  
  
Suddenly a vision flooded him from somewhere deep inside, a memory or an instinct, he wasn't sure. His heart froze in horror when he realized what would happen to a human caught up in a storm of youki. A hundred devastated villages, blood soaking into the ravaged earth. Farm animals screaming in agony and innocent women and children begging for mercy. His eyes went wide in shock at the sight of mutilated bodies, people running away from him, screaming in terror and pain as the youkai battled on, heedless of the unfortunate humans caught in their raging power. He gasped, trying to force back the flood of memory's sights and smells even as Inuyasha's claws closed around his neck. He grabbed the hanyou by the arms, and desperately forced the youki blast into the ground, trying to spare the girl who had fallen to her knees only a few yards away.  
  
Kagome gasped as the huge shockwave of power flooded the glade and exploded under the two young demons who were locked in combat. She tried to protect her head and face as the terrible fire roared around her. Their bodies went spiraling wildly over the trees. She pulled herself her feet, trembling as she realized how very nearly she had been caught up in the violent blast.  
  
Sango and Akane ran to her side, supporting her as her knees seemed to be wobbling underneath her. "Kagome-chan, are you alright?" Sango asked. "I thought you'd be torn apart."  
  
"So did I," she murmured. Okay, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go rushing in like that. She looked around, glad that no one else had been so stupid. Everyone was intact. Akane was staring at the large crater where Inuyasha and Ranma had been standing. "Did Ranma do that?" she wondered aloud.  
  
Miroku grimly looked around at the devastation. Another moment or two of hesitation and they all would have been caught by the destructive youki. He reached over and ran his hand over Sango's bottom. It was good at times like this for a man to remind himself that he was alive.  
  
Sango spun around and cracked him across the face. "You digusting pervert, we were all nearly killed and all you can think about is getting in a cheap grope?"  
  
"It wasn't cheap," he mumbled, rubbing his face. Sango's fury left one hell of a sting.  
  
Akane was nearly in tears. She didn't know if even Ranma could have survived the explosion, the ground under them was a smoking hole. "Where did they go?" she asked. "What's on the other side of those trees?"  
  
Kagome reached over to comfort the girl. "They're okay, Akane. There's nothing over there, just the river."  
  
"The, the river?" Akane asked, her eyes going wide. "Oh my god, Ranma!" The girl tore off through the trees, stumbling over through the underbrush.  
  
Kagome stared after her, confused by Akane's reaction. "Did I just miss something?" she wondered out loud.  
  
Shippo hopped into her arms, snuggling against her. "I think we all missed something," he said, looking over her shoulder at where the youki had torn the earth apart.  
  
Ranma tried to crawl out of the water, coughing and sputtering. He wasn't sure what had just happened to him. His mind was full of horrors that he couldn't shake away. It wasn't me, he thought frantically. I swear I didn't kill all those people, Akane. I'm not a murderer. He felt an intense pain between his eyes, like someone was jabbing a sharpened blade in his forehead. "Oh god," he groaned, wincing away from the pain and the visions.  
  
He splashed his face with the cold water, trying to erase the memories that haunted him. Cold water, he thought, his face dripping. Oh shit, I don't need this right now. He pulled himself up the riverbank, grimacing at the sharp stones that were grinding into his palms and knees. Still staggering a bit, he managed to stand up and started to climb away from the water.  
  
A heavy blow from behind slammed him back down, hard hands grabbed him by the back of his shirt and flung him across the water. "You bastard," Inuyasha shouted. "Did you think I was done with you?" He splashed angrily over to where Ranma was floundering, trying to get his feet undere him and fell on the young demon with a murderous intent. "What's the big idea throwing us into the river, asshole?"  
  
Ranma splashed and struggled under him, fighting for air. Inuyasha sat on him, grinning as he tried to hold down the drowning demon. "Why don't you die already?" he said sadistically. A fist shot out of the water and hit him in the mouth. "Oh so you still want to play," he spat. He fended off another frantic blow and dug around under the water trying to get a grip on the squirming bastard. His hands buried in Ranma's shirt to yank him up when he felt something strange. "What the hell?"  
  
He stood up, pulling the struggling demon with him. He stared, a she-demon glared furiously at him from under a mop of wet red hair. "Who the fuck are you?" he demanded.  
  
"I'm Ranma, you moron," she growled, her blue eyes glinting in fury. He sniffed the air cautiously, not believing her. No way, he thought furiously, it's gotta be a trick. He tore the demon's shirt open. "No WAY," he shouted. He was still staring at her chest when Ranma cocked back her arm and hit him hard enough to throw the startled half-demon into the woods. His last thought before his head cracked against a sturdy tree was that it has been a really strange day.  
  
All in all, Kaede thought, the life of a village priestess was an uneventful one. She enjoyed the quiet duty of tending to the village's needs as healer and spiritual guide to her people. They observed the cycle of the seasons with festivals and prayer, appeasing the gentle kami of the forest with their offerings. It was a peaceful life, nothing like her sister's tenure had been. At least until young Kagome had appeared out the mystical well carrying the Shikon no Tama within her body.  
  
She genuinely liked the young girl, thinking of her as she would one of the village's children, someone to teach and nuture. It wasn't Kagome's fault that trouble seemed to follow her, right now the trouble was sitting on the far side of the hut, deliberately facing away from the rest of the group. He'd flopped down on her floor, soaking wet, tracking mud and leaves inside her home. Kaede prayed silently for patience.  
  
She looked up from the pot of water that was starting to simmer over her fire. "How hot does the water need to be, child?"  
  
"Doesn't have to be boiling, just hot," was the sulky response. Ranma sat hunched on the floor, arms crossed protectively over her impressive chest. She stared steadily at the wall, refusing to look around or even meet Akane's eye. On top of everything else, the damn curse had mutated to match his youkai blood.  
  
Akane stared at the she-demon, not quite knowing what to say. Ranma's new female form was quite unusual. The fire red hair was the same, but now her body was covered in a light golden fuzz, silkily soft to the touch. Her features had migrated from a cute teenage girl to a stunning female demon. Her eyes were still the same shade except for the oddly slitted pupils. And then there were the ears, a perky set of golden furred ears were perched atop her head. Akane's fingers twitched to stroke them and she decided it might be best to restrain herself due to Ranma's foul mood.  
  
Shippo was more than fascinated by this change in the new demon. He bounced over to peer into Ranma's sullen face. "You're beautiful," he pronounced. "How can you be so sad about that?"  
  
"I don't want to be beautiful," Ranma snarled, shoving the kitsune away. She put her head on her knees and felt vastly sorry for herself.  
  
Miroku cleared his throat. "So, this happens whenever he's hit with cold water you say?"  
  
Akane nodded. "And hot water will change him back. It's the curse of Jusenkyo springs that causes the change. I'm just guessing that it took on a new form in response to his new demon appearance." She reached over and patted Ranma awkwardly on the shoulder. "It's okay Ranma, it's really no worse than it was before."  
  
"Thanks," the demoness said in a sarcastic tone. Akane sighed, fed up with the attitude while she tried to be nice. "Quit sulking already, we'll have you back to normal soon."  
  
"You call that NORMAL?" Inuyasha snapped. "I'd call IT a freak."  
  
Kagome glared at him. "Inuyasha, shut up already. You don't have to make him feel worse." She'd been as startled as the others when they'd burst out of the forest to see Inuyasha holding up a half naked she-demon and staring fixedly at her chest. The sight of the hanyou flying headfirst into a tree wasn't one she was going to forget easily either. "Pig!" One of his ears twitched for once he had the sense not to answer back.  
  
Ranma stood up, feeling not for the first time like a circus freak about to do a trick. "Okay, I think it's hot enough. Splash me."  
  
Kaede took a small dipper from a hook that hung on the wall and filled it with the steaming water. Almost reverently, she threw the contents into the young woman's face. "It's that simple?" "It's that simple," Ranma repeated. A sense of relief washed over him, demon or not, at least he was a guy again.  
  
"This is just sickening," Inuyasha stated. He got up from the floor, glowering at Ranma. "What kind of a freak are you anyway?"  
  
"I told you, it's a fucking curse," Ranma growled. His hands clenched in front of him. The series of humiliations he'd been enduring were building up against his normally easygoing nature.  
  
The hanyou stared him down. "If I had a curse like that, I think I'd kill myself. I wouldn't want to live with that kind of shame."  
  
Ranma flushed, his face going an ugly red. "You think you can put me out of my misery, I'd like to see you fucking try it." He swung at Inuyasha and they crashed into the wall.  
  
"Stop it!" Akane shrieked, jumping to her feet. She ran forward and started whaling on Ranma's back. "I'm sick of this shit!" Ranma pushed her away, trying to get at the hanyou. Inuyasha growled low in his chest and edged around the girl, trying to get a clear shot. Miroku and Sango scrambled out of the way and he jumped over them to try for Ranma's throat.  
  
"Sit!" Kagome screamed, yanking Shippo out of the way as Inuyasha crashed into the floor. Wood and splinters went flying. "You fucking bitch!" he howled.  
  
"He came to us for help, is this the way you help someone?" she cried, backing away from the outraged hanyou.  
  
"I don't need his fucking help!" Ranma exploded. He pushed Akane back as she tried to reach him and stormed to the door. "I'll figure it out on my own, damn it!" He stepped outside, drawing the curious stares of the villagers. "What are you looking at?" he demanded. They dodged away from him fearfully. He felt ashamed of scaring the peasants but he was too angry to go back inside the hut. Ranma started towards the forest. "I don't need anyone's help."  
  
A tiny white form stepped in front of him and Ranma froze in horror. An adorable twin tailed kitten was looking at him curiously, her eyes wide and soft. "Myew?"  
  
Ranma started to back away from the horrible thing. "C,c,ca," he stammered, quite forgetting his anger and the fight with the half-demon. Kirara sniffed at his feet and he started badly, like he'd been burned with a hot wire. "Get away from me!" The kitten hissed, catching a whiff of the youki that still clung to the demon's body. Strange youki could be dangerous youki and Kirara was raised by exterminators. She transformed into her protective neko-youkai form and yowled a challenge.  
  
Ranma turned and ran for it, the terror of the Cat Fist was upon him and he was no longer in control of his body. He sprinted back into the village, screaming in the grip of his terror, a long toothed sabrecat behind him. So consuming was his fright that he didn't look where he was heading and went headfirst right into a water trough. SPLASH!  
  
"All right!" Miroku and Shippo shouted, running out of Kaede's hut. Sango was at their heels. "Get back here, you perverts!"  
  
Akane darted past them. "Ranma, are you okay?" Kaede watched from the doorway of her cottage. "I'll start heating some more water."  
  
Inuyasha just stared at the sight of a wet, buxom demon shrieking with terror at the tiny kitten. Kirara had changed back into her lovable form and was enjoying giving chase to her new playmate, closely followed by a kitsune and a monk. Inuyasha scratched his head, a slow grin starting to pull at his face.  
  
"Akane, help me!" Ranma cried, shooting up the side of a tree. She clung desperately to it as Kirara bounded up the bark, playfully attacking her new friend. "Aaagggh!" The tree branch she was perched on gave way suddenly and the demoness and kitten tumbled to the ground. They were immediately set upon by Shippo and Miroku who were trying to help them up, and Sango, who was trying to keep them from helping too much. Akane dove in to rescue Ranma from Kirara, who was trying to reach her face for a friendly nuzzle.  
  
Inuyasha fell to the ground, laughing so hard that tears were coming from his eyes. Kagome gave him a disgusted look. "Stop that, you moron," she hissed, kicking him in the side. The hanyou just howled harder, filling the small village with the sounds of his delight.  
  
END CHAPTER 6


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7  
  
Ranma opened his eyes, waking slowly. His first thought was that he'd overslept again and wondered why Akane or Kasumi hadn't called him in time to get up for school. He focused blearily on the ceiling, it was a simple wooden construction and the smells in the air had nothing to do with the morning routine of the Tendo dojo. Gradually he remembered where he was and what had happened. He was five hundred years in the past, in the Sengoku Jidai. I'm really still here, he thought. And I'm really still jacked up.  
  
He groaned a little as he sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. It hurt where that crazy hanyou had clobbered him yesterday. Ranma looked around, the small hut was empty, the fire having gone to cold ashes some time ago. He yawned, feeling irritable and hungry. "Guess I must have slept through breakfast."  
  
A light step on the floor behind him made him turn. Kagome was standing there holding a steaming cup in her hands. "Good, you're finally awake," she said. She knelt and held out the cup to him. "I know it's just instant ramen, but are you hungry?"  
  
He took the cup from her gratefully. "Right now I'm so hungry I'd even eat Akane's cooking." Kagome looked at him with a puzzled expression, watching him slurp down the hot noodles. "Are you saying she can't cook?"  
  
Ranma smiled. "Not if you ask her, but be careful if she offers to make anything for you. I've been poisoned too many times myself." He drained the cup and looked at Kagome, noticing not for the first time that she was an extremely pretty girl. "Hey, I've been wanting to ask, how did you find this place anyway? Did you fall down that well or something? I think I would have freaked out."  
  
She grinned and got to her feet. "Something like that and yes, I was pretty freaked out. For a while I didn't realize I could use the well to get back home, my family was really worried when my brother tried to tell them where I went. The villagers didn't know what to make of me, but at least no one tried to hurt me. They don't really like strangers around here."  
  
He laughed at that, a Tokyo schoolgirl stuck in the warring states era. "I bet they were almost as scared of you as you were of them."  
  
"You could say that, Kaede was kind to me from the beginning. She's even been teaching me about herbal medicine, I wish I had more time to learn things from her." The girl's expression grew somber. "Unfortunately, when I am here we're usually too busy tracking jewel shards and trying to find Naraku."  
  
The young demon grimaced. He'd gotten a history of the Shikon no Tama the night before, along with the story about how the evil demon Naraku was trying to collect the shards. He looked at his hand, the one that he'd held the jewel shard with and wondered just what it had done to him. Kagome said the shards were safe enough when in her care as her touch purified them and rendered their evil powers inactive. Of course, that didn't explain what had happened to him. He had a feeling there was a lot more to that story than she was letting on.  
  
Kagome noticed that he was looking at his hand again. It shouldn't have happened, she thought to herself. That shard was purified, there was no evil presence anywhere near Ranma. Corrupted shards could be very dangerous, even Miroku had sense enough not to handle them before she did. It was as if the Shikon had released the youkai blood inside her friend, not twisted or corrupted what was already there. The jewel brought nothing but pain and misery to anyone it touched. Kagome scowled. Not this time, she thought. I'm not going to let it destroy anyone. We can find a way to beat this, I'm sure of it.  
  
"What a look," Ranma said teasingly. Kagome's face was so grim and serious she hardly looked like the same girl. "You look like you're about to start a fight with someone."  
  
"Maybe I am," she grinned. She tapped her fingers on the wooden floor thoughtfully. "I was just thinking about the Shikon no Tama. It's a mystery, we know bits and pieces of how it was formed and how it affects youkai, but every time I think I've got a handle on it, it does something new."  
  
Ranma chuckled. "Like me, you mean."  
  
Kagome smiled at his rueful tone. "Yeah. You're still yourself for starters. Some demons get a hold of a single shard and become more powerful and more evil also. Maybe it's impossible for the Shikon no Tama to be used for anything good."  
  
"Are all demons evil?" Ranma asked quietly. He wanted to know if it was just a matter of time before he'd become some kind of monster nightstalking terror. The thought was not an appealing one.  
  
She considered the question. "No, I really don't think so. We have met a few that weren't evil to start with and some that were just corrupted by the jewel. Take Inuyasha for example. He's a half-demon and he's not evil. When I first met him, he was a little scary, but we've become really good friends since then. He can actually be pretty nice sometimes."  
  
"Bitch, where are you?" a voice shouted just outside the hut.  
  
"But not right now." Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes at Ranma. "I'm right here, Inuyasha. You don't have to scream at me."  
  
Ranma followed Kagome out of the hut. Miroku, Sango, and Akane were sitting together on a bench but Inuyasha was perched on a fence post, scowling darkly. "Did you tell him?" he demanded.  
  
Kagome frowned, glancing back at the young demon. "No," she admitted. "I haven't had a chance yet."  
  
"Tell me what?" he asked suspiciously. Akane grinned and jumped up. She gestured at Sango and Miroku. "While you were sleeping, we've been talking about your problem. Sango thinks that your ancestors' demon blood might have been sealed off somehow, the Shikon no Tama just released it. If that's true, its possible you might be able to seal it again so you can go back home and not have to worry about going crazy and hurting people. Isn't that great?"  
  
He scratched his head. "I guess so, but how do I seal it off again? I don't even know what that thing did to me." Inuyasha made a disgusted noise. "Doesn't matter what it did, it's done. Better learn how to live with being youkai. You won't be able to run away from it for very long."  
  
"I'm not running," Ranma snapped. "I don't want to be youkai, if there's a way to cure it, I'm going to find out how." He didn't know how to explain to the others about the cold alien feeling that had flooded him during the fight with Inuyasha. More puzzling and uncomfortable were the things he'd seen. It was like he'd been yanked forcefully out of himself and shown someone else's memories. He didn't know who they belonged to, but they felt cold and evil. He knew he didn't want to feel like that again.  
  
"Idiot," Inuyasha grunted, looking up at the sky. The stupid punk didn't know what he was saying. He knew of only one way for a youkai to become human and that was using the Shikon no Tama. Somehow he doubted if Naraku would hand over his shards of the jewel if they asked him politely for help. Miroku nudged Sango with his elbow. "Go on, tell him the rest." The demon exterminator smiled at Ranma. "In the village where I grew up, we heard a lot of stories about different kinds of youkai. Some of them were true, some of them were just legends. My father told me about an elderly woman who lived in the western mountains. Supposedly she passed down a lot of information and legends regarding youkai magic and curses to our village. If she still lives, she might be able to help you find out what happened to you, maybe even reverse it."  
  
It was too much to hope for, Ranma thought. An old woman who might or might not still be alive, might not have existed at all. Who might be able to help him, if they could find her in the first place. "What the hell. If that's all we've got to go on, I'll try to find her. It's the best I've got."  
  
"We'll help you find her," Kagome said, a wide smile on her face. He grinned back at her. Akane came over to his side and took his arm. "You see Ranma, you don't have to go through this alone."  
  
"Are you guys about done with this sappy crap?" Inuyasha said, sounding bored. Kagome shot him a dirty look. "Why? Is it making you uncomfortable?" He flashed a grin at her, drawing his sword. "Nope, but my nose tells me that there's something ugly coming, you want we should fight it or maybe you'd like to hold its hand too?"  
  
Ranma was suddenly aware of a very unpleasant odor in the wind. It smelled like a backed up sewer. "Oh man," he said, covering his nose. "That's pretty rank, what could stink like that?" Inuyasha gave him a curious stare but the others looked around in confusion. "I don't smell anything," Miroku said mildly.  
  
The hanyou gave Ranma an appraising grin. "Well, at least you're not nose- blind like the rest of them. Follow me, punk. It looks like we've got company." They had almost reached the edge of the forest when the smell became overpowering. Ranma gagged and covered his face. Inuyasha gave him a pitying look. "Cover your nose, idiot. You're no good to me if you're puking."  
  
The young demon took a few deep breaths through his mouth. "I'm not puking, what the hell is that?" Inuyasha scratched his head, peering intensely into the forest. "Not sure," he confessed. "Most lower youkai smell disgusting, but this one really needs to deal with his personal hygiene. It smells rotten or..." his eyes went wide and he threw himself to the side just as a foul lump of flesh smacked into the ground where he'd been standing. The reek was intense and Ranma actually fell to the ground from the stench.  
  
Miroku came running up beside him and promptly fell over, heaving violently. Above them, a putrid pile of bones and decomposing flesh rolled slowly out of the forest. Its sticky surface oozed decay and it lumbered determinedly at them. Sango appeared in front of Miroku and Ranma, her mask in place to help her stand the smell. "Get up, get up," she hissed urgently, grabbing Miroku's sleeve to yank the dizzy monk to his feet. Inuyasha was already in the trees, a sleeve held over his sensitive nose. "Sango," he shouted, "can you get a clear shot at it?"  
  
"If I knew where its vital organs were," she retorted, unslinging her boomerang. She sighted up the middle and let fly with a powerful throw. The boomerang sliced through the mass of twisted flesh and rot to burst out the other side. To Sango's surprise, the monster kept coming at her, the edges of the wound caking together almost instantly. "It didn't work," she yelled, backing away. "Damn, it's heading right at the village."  
  
The thing seemed unaware of them, it just kept oozing along, leaving a wide trail of gore behind it. Miroku leaned heavily on Sango's shoulder. "That's no demon, it's not even alive," he gagged. "Can't you tell? There's no presence of ki or youki."  
  
"Great," Inuyasha muttered, hopping down from the tree. "How do we kill what's not alive?" Miroku straightened grimly. "Stand back, I will open the Air Rip and suck it up, at least then it won't make it to the village."  
  
Sango grabbed his arm as he stumbled. "You can't even stay on your feet from the smell of it, the Air Rip will suck you up along with everyone else."  
  
"Damn it," Inuyasha said grimly. "I hate to waste Tetsusaiga on something like this but it looks like we don't have a choice." He stood directly in front of the oozing mass, readying himself. "Kaze no Kizu!" he shouted, bringing the blade down in a powerful strike.  
  
The blast blew the mass apart, sending clumps of rotten flesh far back into the forest. He'd tried to put as little effort as possible behind the blow, hoping for a minor earthquake instead of the full frontal force of Tetsusaiga. A great crack opened in the earth where the vile thing had been. Chunks of debris were still dropping around their heads, sticky and smelly. He swung the sword around, shaking off the disgusting fallout. "Well, that was nasty."  
  
Ranma whistled softly, impressed by the power unleashed by the blade. The hanyou was still trying to shake the sticky mess off when he brought the blade around in an upswept, graceful arc and Ranma's mind went blank, mesmerized by the glowing katana. For a few seconds, he didn't know who he was, time had stopped and Ranma stared at the edge of the Tetsusaiga as it glittered in the air. He fell to his knees, unconsciously raising his chin as if he expected the blade to come singing through the air to take his head from his shoulders with its radiant edge.  
  
"What the fuck?" Inuyasha felt the sword pulse hard under his hands. It started to shake wildly, emitting a high pitched shriek that sounded angry even to him. Ranma was kneeling in front of him, his head thrown back as if he wanted the blade to find his throat. "No!" Inuyasha shouted, trying to wrench the sword away from Ranma. The damn thing wanted him, he'd never felt anything like that before but he knew the katana was crying for Ranma's blood. Inuyasha jerked the sword back and drove it into the ground with all his strength. The shrieking was cut off abruptly as the blade transformed back into its quietly sleeping appearance.  
  
Ranma was oblivious to the hanyou's struggle. His eyes had gone wide and blank, he didn't see Inuyasha fighting the Tetsusaiga in front of him, he couldn't hear Miroku's or Sango's voices as they shouted his name. All he could see was a windswept hillside, feel the hard stones under his knees. Confused, he tried to shake off the feeling and couldn't manage to move his head. His body felt frozen, his limbs too heavy to move. Helpless, he looked up and saw the edge coming toward him. His heart suddenly filled with a mixture of hatred and grief as he tried to see the face of his executioner. Just as he looked into the man's strange golden eyes a scream ripped from his throat and everything went dark around him.  
  
"Is he going to be okay?" Akane was kneeling over Ranma's unconscious body. "What happened to him out there?"  
  
"We don't know," Miroku told her. He leaned in to pry back one of the demon's eyelids. His pupils were pinpoints but his chest rose and fell with his deep breathing. "That thing wasn't even alive, it didn't touch Ranma. I've heard of something like that happening before, an oni or lower youkai must have died but his body kept moving, absorbing anything it could take in. The soul was gone but left behind a walking corpse. I never thought to see one of that size, you'd think it would have rotted away a long time before getting that big."  
  
"Someone set it on us," Inuyasha said bitterly. "I don't think it was just a coincidence either. Someone had to feed that thing until it was big enough to take out a village. I only know one monster that has that kind of sense of humor."  
  
"You think it was Naraku?" Kagome asked quietly. "Could he also have attacked Ranma, maybe used that creature for a diversion?"  
  
Inuyasha shrugged. "Why the hell are you asking me? I don't have an inside on what goes on in Naraku's head. Ranma just dropped suddenly, stupid punk was begging me to kill him. Begging someone to kill him anyway, I could hardly hold back the Tetsusaiga."  
  
Akane took a wet cloth from the water Kaede had brought her. Cold would be better but she didn't think Ranma would be too happy if he woke up wearing his cursed female body. The water was just warm enough to keep him from changing. "He didn't ask you to kill him, I won't believe it."  
  
"If you'd seen him, you would," Sango murmured. "Didn't he scream at you, Inuyasha? I thought he said your name."  
  
"No!" he snapped, his face flushing suddenly. They stared at him, confused. He jumped up and stalked out of the hut. "Yell if the punk comes around, I have some questions for him about his fucking curse." The late afternoon breeze was warm on his face, blowing his hair around. He scowled to himself as he sat on the nearest post. It wasn't his name the fool had screamed, but he sure as hell wanted to know where he'd heard it. As soon as Ranma recovered, he had every intention of beating the truth out of the young youkai.  
  
Kagome frowned, Inuyasha was being a jerk, even by his normal standards. She tugged on Sango's sleeve. "Let's just leave Akane to watch over Ranma, we're not doing him any good by clustering around him."  
  
Akane looked at her gratefully, Kagome seemed to understand how hard this was for her to deal with. As the others left the hut, Akane reached out and ran her fingers along Ranma's cheek. The blood red stripes stood out vividly against his pale face. Akane wrung warm water out of the cloth and gently wiped the boy's face and neck. His skin was cool to the touch, but he was still sweating. Carefully, she loosened the fastenings on his shirt so she could wipe away the perspiration that was coating his body in a fine sheen. He stirred at her touch and she laid her palm on his chest. "Ranma?"  
  
"What happened to me?" Ranma had opened his eyes and they focused blearily on her face. "Akane, are you okay? I must have blacked out or something." His hand came up to hers where it lay on his bare chest. She smiled down at him and even reached to brush the hair out of his eyes. "Everything's fine now," she told him. "Do you remember anything?"  
  
"No," he said softly. "I didn't do anything awful, did I?" She shook her head. "Of course you didn't do anything awful. Sango said that you just kind of fell over like you were in some kind of trance. They carried you back to the village a few hours ago."  
  
"Hours?" He was puzzled, it didn't feel like he'd been out that long. He relaxed, closing his eyes. He felt Akane waiting for some kind of answer. What happened, he asked the inside of his eyelids.  
  
"Is he awake?" Kagome poked her head in the door. She'd heard Ranma's voice and decided to check up on her friends. He grinned at the girl. "Yeah, I'm still here."  
  
"That's a pity," Inuyasha said, peering at him over Kagome's head. Ranma felt a sharp shock when he looked at the hanyou's face and sat up swiftly. "You son a bitch," he shouted. "You tried to cut my head off!" The vision came flooding back to him, he could hear the sword whistling through the air just before it struck. He was so angry he could hardly see straight, he'd have gotten to his feet and attacked Inuyasha but for Akane trying to hold him down.  
  
"Ranma, listen to yourself," she said urgently. "He didn't attack you. Sango and Miroku were there, they saw him put the sword in the ground to save you from it."  
  
Inuyasha snorted. "If I'd tried to kill you, punk, we wouldn't be having this conversation." He crouched on the floor in front of Ranma, his eyes glittering intensely. "Why don't you tell us what really happened out there? You didn't even know we were there, it was like you went somewhere else. Talk."  
  
The young demon looked down at his hands, anywhere but at Inuyasha. "I don't remember anything," he said sullenly. He felt Akane's hand slip into his own. "Sango said you screamed something just before you passed out. It was a name. Don't you remember that?"  
  
Ranma scowled. "It was just, it was just a dream, Akane. It didn't mean anything. For a second, I thought I was someone else, some guy was standing over me with a huge ass sword. I knew he was going to kill me and I couldn't move, couldn't even defend myself."  
  
He closed his eyes. "I didn't want to defend myself, I just wanted it over with." He gripped her hand, still holding his. "I wanted him to kill me," he said softly. "I wanted to die because I was too ashamed to live. I've never felt anything like that before. He knew it too, I could see it in his face."  
  
"What did he look like?" Inuyasha was staring fixedly at the wall behind Ranma, his face unreadable. Ranma considered the question. "He was wearing armor, he had white hair pulled up in some kind of long topknot." The boy frowned. "Now that I think about it, he did kind of look like you. That's why I thought you attacked me. Why? Do you know who he is?"  
  
The hanyou just stood up and went out the door. He stopped just outside and took a deep breath, not trusting himself to look back at the confused youkai. "His name was Inutaisho, you yelled out that name just before you fell over. He's dead, you don't have to worry about him coming after you."  
  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, struck by the similarity to the names. He didn't turn around. "Yeah, Kagome. He was my father."

"So why would Ranma have a dream about Inuyasha's father?" Miroku was laying on his side near the fire in Kaede's hut. Night had come and the village was peaceful, quiet. Kagome sighed, stretching out her legs and thought about the question. Miroku followed the line of her legs with his eyes, quickly averting his gaze in case Sango noticed. "You have to admit it's a little odd."  
  
Kagome shook back her hair. "Yeah, it is. Inuyasha doesn't want to talk about it. He's never told me anything about his father, only that he died just after he was born. That's sad, my father passed away a few years ago, but at least I knew him. I can't imagine not knowing what he looked like or how his voice sounded."  
  
"What about his brother, didn't he ever tell Inuyasha anything about him?" Sango was idly tracing the grain of Kaede's wooden floor with her fingers.  
  
Miroku grinned. "Well, you've seen him. What do you think? Even if Sesshomaru chose not to kill him the last time, he made it perfectly clear that he'll choose the time and place when he does. I don't think that sounds like he's going to be open to a heart to heart talk about it."  
  
"I guess you're right," Kagome sighed. Inuyasha had made himself absent for the rest of the evening, determined to let the matter drop. He could be so stubborn, she thought crossly. A light step drew her attention, Ranma and Akane were back. The young demon had needed a bath, having been struck by several smelly morsels of the decomposing dead thing that had attacked them. She hid a smile at the sight of the demoness. That river was cold, she knew from first hand experience.  
  
Ranma plopped onto the floor, still damp and looked around her with an embarrassed smile. Sango stared at her, fascinated. "Does it hurt, changing back and forth like that?" The youkai grinned, showing pearly white fangs. "Naw, it never hurts, sometimes it can be a little uncomfortable. For a second it feels like my skin tingles sometimes, but I don't notice it much anymore. I guess it just happens too fast to hurt."  
  
Shippo jumped into her lap. "What do you want, runt?" The kitsune cuddled against her chest. "You're so soft, you remind me of my Okaa-san." The demoness colored and Akane coughed to cover up a laugh. "You know, Ranma, I think that's the first time anyone has ever thought you reminded them of their mother."  
  
She chose not to dignify Akane's comment with a reply. Ranma reached over the fox's head and took hold of the small pot of water that was simmering over the coals. "Do I still remind you of your mother, kid?" The kitsune wrinkled his nose at the now male Ranma. "No," he sighed. Shippo scooted back to Kagome's lap. "You don't smell as good either."  
  
Kagome stroked the fox's hair. "He didn't mean to insult you, Ranma. Shippo lost his parents some time ago. Some youkai don't have very long lives here."  
  
"I'm beginning to figure that out." He was still baffled, not understanding the bizarre vision he'd had. He felt much better after his bath, the cold water had driven off the ghosts and doubts. He managed to grin at Akane with his usual confidence. "I'd sure like to know why Inuyasha's father seemed to want to kill me."  
  
"Maybe because he just liked killing," Inuyasha said coldly. They turned to look at the hanyou. "I don't know why you saw what you did, punk, but it sure sounds like the old man."  
  
Kagome looked eager. "Have you remembered something about him?"  
  
He waved his hand at her. "Of course not, dummy. That doesn't mean I haven't heard the stories. You think Sesshomaru's a hard ass, believe me, he doesn't even come close. Ask Myoga about him sometime, if the damn worthless fool ever shows up again."  
  
Inuyasha flopped carelessly on the floor, rolling over on his side to address Ranma and the humans. "All I really know is that he was a bastard straight from hell, there's youkai west of here that won't even say his name out loud. That's one of the reasons I've never gone back there, who wants to be reminded their father was a bloodthirsty maniac?"  
  
"You've never gone home, not even once?" Sango asked. The hanyou shrugged. "Of course not. Why would I? It's not like I was even born there. Sesshomaru was, but he's not the kind of family you want to seek out. I knew that even before he decided to be a pain in my ass about Tetsusaiga. I only saw him once before that, when my mother died he paid me a visit, just to get a look at me. Said I belonged with the weak humans and he was going to try to forget I'd even been born."  
  
"What did you do?" Kagome asked quietly. She'd never seen Inuyasha willing to talk about his family before and she was dying to ask questions but didn't want to risk him clamming up again. He looked thoughtful, as if he didn't realize how intense their attention had become. "I asked him to take me with him, I didn't like my mother's family much. They thought she'd done something awful by falling for the old man and having a half- breed kid."  
  
"That's terrible," Akane breathed. Ranma was looking fixedly at the fire, trying to imagine what that must have felt like. Inuyasha grinned at them. "Oh stop feeling sorry for me, I don't need your pity. Not then and not now. Sesshomaru just smacked me across the face and left me there anyway."  
  
Kagome thought that certainly sounded like something Inuyasha's brother would do. "How old were you?"  
  
"Five, I think." He looked at her and his expression softened slightly. "Don't let it bother you, Kagome. It's ancient history  
  
to me. When I was old enough I left on my own. My mother's village doesn't even exist anymore, it was buried by a landslide years ago."  
  
Ranma leaned his fist on his chin. "And you're not even curious about your father, you just believe the stories you've heard?"  
  
Inuyasha glared at him. "Why would I be curious, he means nothing to me. He shoulda been more careful and not gotten himself dead. No big loss there either."  
  
"Oh," Ranma said. He was a little surprised by the hanyou's casual attitude. His own father was devious, underhanded, and a craven coward but he still didn't think he could brush off Genma's death so lightly. Maybe youkai didn't feel the same about their parents as humans did.  
  
The hanyou lay back on the floor, one arm pillowing his head. "Like I said, it's ancient history. The old man's been dead for nearly a century, I'm not going to waste my time on the past."  
  
"Huh?" Kagome looked shocked. "What do you mean, dead for nearly a century? How the hell old are you, Inuyasha?" He frowned, quite obviously searching his mind for the answer. "I dunno, do I count the fifty years I was stuck to that tree?"  
  
"Yes, you count the fifty years you were stuck to the tree," she snapped hotly. "Um, let me think. I've got to be around...ninety?"  
  
Miroku grinned. "You've endured well, my friend." Kagome looked angry. "I can't believe after all this time you never told me that you were that old. What were you thinking?"  
  
"Hey, demons age differently," he growled. "What the fuck is the big deal, Sesshomaru's got to be pushing two hundred. You don't see him slowing down, do you?"  
  
"That's not the point, you should have told us!" He jumped up, looking annoyed. "That's it, I've had enough of your crap, I'm sleeping outside!" Kagome followed him to the door. "Good! Don't let us get in your way, you arrogant jerk!"  
  
"I'm lost," Ranma muttered to Akane. She hid a smile from Kagome's angry glare. Miroku and Sango were doing the same, their eyes twinkling merrily. "I'll explain tomorrow," she told him.  
  
END CHAPTER 7


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8  
  
"Thank you for your assistance, good persons." The smiling monk bowed politely. "May the Buddha bless you with prosperity and good health."  
  
The group of farmers returned Miroku's bow pleasantly enough but they couldn't help but stare at his odd companions. The women seemed like normal humans, even if they were strangely dressed. Nervously, the farmers edged away from the two wild looking young men. Demons for sure, they murmured to each other. One of the demons actually smiled at them in what he obviously thought was a reassuring way, the other just glowered at them as if he'd like to eat them alive instead of letting them pass.  
  
"Do you have to scare the piss out of everyone you meet?" Ranma asked in irritation.  
  
"Bah, they're just as scared of you as they are of me," Inuyasha sneered. "Get used to it, punk. They're scared of all demons, smiling at them doesn't make any difference."  
  
"Excuse me, I'm not used to ordinary people recoiling in fear when they see me," Ranma snapped. "Maybe you get a kick out of it, but I don't like it." They'd been traveling west for over a week now and every single peasant they'd met had either run away in fear or stood shaking in their sandals at the sight of him and Inuyasha. This party of farmers didn't have the option of running away, he thought sourly. They were obviously taking produce and goods to market and didn't want to abandon their handcarts to flee.  
  
Miroku joined them. "The good news is that there's a village up this road that will sell us supplies. The bad news is that it's still two days travel away." He grinned at the looks of annoyance on his companions' faces. "We might as well camp here tonight."  
  
Inuyasha grunted. "No way, Miroku. There's still at least three hours of daylight, no sense in wasting it."  
  
"The rest of us are tired," Kagome said in a peevish voice. Akane nodded in agreement. "My feet are killing me," she whispered to Sango. The pretty exterminator grinned. "You'll adapt soon enough, Akane. I can tell already that you're doing great for someone who's not used to living out here in the wilds."  
  
"You guys are always tired," Inuyasha said, full of youkai superiority. "I can go for days without needing a break." Kagome rolled her eyes. "In that case, why don't you go find us something fresh for dinner? I'm sick of rice and roots and you've obviously got the energy to burn."  
  
"Can I go with you, Inuyasha?" Shippo had jumped onto his shoulder. The hanyou grinned. "Well, you are pretty useless most of the time, but I guess even you could take down a rabbit. If it wasn't in a fighting mood." He glanced over at Ranma. "How about you, up for a little exercise?"  
  
Ranma folded his arms. "I suppose. What did you have in mind?"  
  
"Just keep up with me. If you can, that is." Inuyasha turned suddenly and dashed away into the forest, Shippo squealing as he tried to stay on the half-demon's back by clinging to his hair. Ranma hesitated for a second before following him, loping off into the woods finally like he wasn't sure about the whole idea.  
  
Akane watched him leave. "Are they going to be alright?" she asked Kagome. The girl shrugged as she started to unpack her supplies. "Probably, Inuyasha won't kill him and leave him in the woods if that's what you mean."  
  
The short haired girl knelt beside Kagome. "I know, but this is just so weird sometimes. Ranma's not really acting like himself, he keeps looking over his shoulder like he's expecting something to attack him. He's not usually this nervous and jumpy."  
  
"Youkai instinct," Sango said, starting to lay a fire. "That's all it is. He's not jumpy, Akane. He's alert, it's not necessarily a bad thing in this time."  
  
Akane considered her words. "I hadn't thought about that. It must be really weird for him. Ranma says he can smell everything now, see better than he did before and hear things better also. It's like all of his senses woke up at once, I guess I'd be pretty twitchy too."  
  
"It's not his senses that concern me," Miroku said seriously. He came to sit between Kagome and Akane. "I'm more concerned with his demon nature when it surfaces. Kagome was able to stop him once, but she might not be able to do so again. Your friend will need to control himself."  
  
Akane gazed at the ground sadly. "How can Ranma control something like that? He didn't even seem to know how he was."  
  
Kagome nodded. "Miroku, it was just like Inuyasha's rages, he didn't seem to know who he was or even who he was hurting. I think he would have happily killed everyone in the house. I don't know if was the shock of the demon blood awakening or some influence of the Shikon no Tama itself."  
  
"That's a good point," Miroku answered. The monk looked thoughtfully at the sky. "I guess we'll just have to take it day by day until we find someone who can give him some answers." He patted Akane on the back. "Don't worry, we're not going to abandon you or Ranma to deal with this alone."  
  
Akane smiled gratefully at the monk. "You're so kind," she began to say as his hand dropped to her rear. Her face flushed suddenly and Miroku grinned at her, firmly squeezing her butt, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "You hentai," she breathed. Akane jerked away from him, pulled back her fist and knocked the monk cold.  
  
"Bad move, houshi-sama," Sango murmured, looking down at Miroku's unconscious face. The pervert was actually still smiling.  
  
Kagome giggled. "Sango, did I forget to mention that Akane also practices martial arts? It must have slipped my mind."

* * *

The deer paused, graceful neck turned towards him, sensing a predator nearby. His ears twitched, alert for the first sign of the animal's panic. The deer's scent was warm and rich in his nostrils, vital, alluring. The soft brown eyes scanned the underbrush, aware that it was being watched, the muscles tensed, its tawny skin shivering slightly. He crept closer, moving silently like the carnivore he was, lulling the forest creature in into disregarding his presence. A delicate hoof pawed the ground, the soft pink nostrils flared and the animal bolted right for him. Shippo shrieked as the deer jumped over him, hugging the ground.  
  
Inuyasha sprang up from his hiding place, grabbing the deer's head in his claws as it sprang and neatly breaking its neck. "Shippo, was that your idea of stalking?" he demanded. The hanyou looked disgustedly at him. "Shit, why didn't you just wave a freaking sign around to tell it where you were? You call yourself a demon?"  
  
"I'm a kitsune," Shippo said angrily. "We don't go after big game like deer. I told you that!" He kicked the ground. "Don't jump all over me because you wanted me to do something I didn't know how to do! I'm not a dog, you know."  
  
"You're hardly a fox either," Inuyasha snorted, grabbing the deer's legs. "You gonna stand there or are you gonna help, Ranma?" The young youkai approached him. "You sure you aren't going to bite my head off like you did Shippo?"  
  
The half-demon ignored him. Ranma seized one of the deer's legs and helped Inuyasha string it from a tree. "We don't need all this," he explained. "I'll just cut off the best parts and we'll haul them back. We'll eat good for a couple days anyway."  
  
"Isn't that kind of wasteful, leaving the carcass here to rot?" Ranma looked doubtfully at the large animal. "Naw, there's plenty of creatures around here that will appreciate the free meal. Can't you hear them coming now?"  
  
Ranma listened hard. The sounds itched in his ears, rustling under his perception. He shook his head hard. "Whatever, I can't make sense of it."  
  
"Idiot," the hanyou muttered. "Stand back, these tend to bleed out pretty quick, but it gets messy." He struck the carcass with his sharp claws, opening up the deer's throat. A torrent of blood splattered on the ground.  
  
"Ewwwww," Shippo groaned, looking away. Inuyasha grinned nastily. "Didn't think you had the stomach for it, runt."  
  
Ranma stared at the blood on the ground, fascinated. The dark pool under the deer glistened in the late afternoon sun, painting the green underbrush with crimson beauty. His nose twitched, alive with the thick smell of the hot blood and his mouth was starting to water. A strange rushing sensation filled his ears and he felt dizzy, as if he was floating out of his body.  
  
"Hey!" Inuyasha was looking at him strangely. "You gonna puke or something?" The young demon started, looking at him as if called back from a deep gulf of awareness. He blinked and rubbed his face, his cheeks were hot and he was sweating in the cool forest.  
  
"I'm fine," Ranma said thickly. "I guess I just need to sit down for a while." His knees were weak and he leaned against the nearest tree, trying not smell the deer's cooling body. Inuyasha's eyes had narrowed. "When's the last time you had something to eat?"  
  
Ranma glared at him. "Stupid question, I had breakfast with you this morning, don't you remember? You threw a bowl at me when I asked you to pass me the water jug." He spaced out again, a light breeze had caught him and the blood smell was again singing to his twitching senses. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, something was wrong, he felt so strange and shaky.  
  
"Yeah," the hanyou said. He grabbed the kitsune and tossed him into the tree that the deer was hanging from. "Hey, what's the big idea?"  
  
"Just stay there, Shippo," Inuyasha told him tersely. "Me and Ranma need to go for a little walk. You let anything take that deer and I'm going to make Kagome a cute little fur hat, you get my drift?"  
  
"Where are we going?" Ranma said faintly. He was hardly aware that the hanyou had grabbed him roughly by his arm and was dragging him deeper into the trees. "Did you need to go back to camp or something?"  
  
"No, that's the last place I need to go," Inuyasha snapped. He sniffed the air. "Good, not far away now. Ranma, you need to eat something right now. I can't let you go back to Kagome and the others until you get this sorted out."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ranma stopped and planted his feet, yanking his arm away. He still felt dizzily weak but not so much that he was about to let the half-demon yank him around like a rag doll. "What's your problem anyway?"  
  
"You're my problem," Inuyasha bit out. "You're a damn youkai and you don't know what's happening inside you. Demons don't eat human food, at least not all the time."  
  
Ranma stared at him. "You're nuts, what the hell do we eat then?" Something moved behind him and Ranma's body went still and tense. He turned slowly to see another deer, a huge buck this time, standing there and staring him down. The animal's nose flared angrily and he pawed the ground like he was spoiling for a fight. He felt Inuyasha standing beside him and found his throat was tight. "What's happening to me?" he whispered.  
  
His body was alive in a way he'd never felt before. He approached the angry looking buck, feeling like he'd been put in some kind of sick trance. He wanted to kill it, wanted to very badly.  
  
"Go on," Inuyasha sounded tense. "Take him on. You're a predator now and he knows it too. You've got to kill him to feed."  
  
"Feed?" Instincts were warring inside him, youkai and human psyche fighting each other for dominance. You should run away, he told the deer silently. You should go before I have to do this, I'm not a killer, not like this. Not like this. A heartbeat, two and he knew he'd lost the battle. Crying out incoherently, he attacked. The buck lowered its head to charge and gore him with the antlers. Ranma moved like lightning, jumping on top of the beast and shredding its back. The deer screamed in pain, frightened now, wanting to escape from the wild eyed demon that was sinking its claws into his flesh.  
  
Ranma brought the buck down, savagely tearing at it, blood spurting everywhere. The hot taste got inside his mouth to drive him insane and he sank his teeth into the large artery in the throat. Warmth gushed out and Ranma felt sweet contentment wash over his body. He drank his fill, grateful to the buck for providing him with its life force. He knew it was more than just blood, more than just the pleasure of the kill. As the mighty animal's heart slowed and faltered to a stop he felt something moving within him, some invisible undeniable strength poured from the dying animal. It was oxygen to a drowning man, it was god to a junkie. He took it inside him wordlessly and pushed himself away from the body.  
  
He knelt there for a long time, his hair was hanging limp over his forehead and his eyes closed as if in prayer. Tears poured down his face and he drew in one shaking, gasping breath after another, hoping that his heart wouldn't explode, it was pounding so hard he thought it could break out of his chest. His face twisted when he couldn't endure it any longer and howl of despair burst from him like a dying man's declaration.  
  
Inuyasha sat nearby, not looking at him. He closed his eyes and tried to force back painful memories of his own. The sight was too raw, the pain Ranma felt too intense. With an effort, he forced himself to look at the young demon. "You'll be okay, the pain goes in a few hours. By sunset, you'll be able to make yourself think it didn't happen. Tomorrow, you'll even be able to pretend that you're human like the others. Next time it comes, you'll know what you have to do and you can make sure you're alone. It's easier to forget if you're alone."

* * *

"Where the hell have you been? We've been worried sick!" Inuyasha scowled at Kagome's words. "I told you, bitch. We were hunting, it just took longer than usual."  
  
By the time Ranma had fully recovered, it had been getting dark. The young youkai had gone off in search of water to wash away the blood and Inuyasha went to find Shippo, who was freaking out over being left in the woods.  
  
"You left me here for over two hours," the kitsune shouted, beating Inuyasha with his tiny fists. "I thought you'd died out there. Where's Ranma? You didn't kill him, did you? Kagome's going to be really mad if you did, Akane's her friend and she's not going to like it if you killed Ranma."  
  
He batted the fox away. "Would you just shut up already? No one's dead, got it? Some kitsune you are Shippo, panicking because you were left alone in the woods for a couple hours. That damn girl's turned you into a freaking housecat, I'm surprised she hasn't brought you a collar with a bell yet."  
  
Shippo pouted. "I'm not scared of being in the woods by myself, I can take care of myself just fine. I was just worried when you didn't come back, okay? I was just about to go looking for you. I thought to myself, "Shippo, that stupid dog's gone and got himself killed and now you have protect Kagome."  
  
"Like you can!" Inuyasha snapped, tearing off chunks of deer meat and stuffing them into a bag. "What are you gonna do if you ever do have to protect Kagome? You can't even use those little claws of yours, you just use that illusion crap to save your ass when you don't have anyone else to cover for you."  
  
"That's not fair," the fox bawled, stung by Inuyasha's words. "I'm just a little guy, I've got to use whatever I can. When I'm bigger I'm going to fight like a real demon and I won't need someone like you around at all. Me and Kagome will be just fine without you."  
  
"You think so?" Inuyasha said sarcastically. He looked over his shoulder at the kitsune and saw Ranma coming out of the woods, dripping wet but cleaner than he had been. "See Shippo, there's Ranma. Looks like he's not dead after all, sorry to disappoint you. The freak's alive and well."  
  
"Ranma-chan!" Shippo cried joyfully, jumping up to land in the she-demon's arms. "I've missed you!" Ranma blushed as Shippo nuzzled her lovingly. "Come on, runt, knock it off. It's embarrassing."  
  
Inuyasha chuckled at Ranma's discomfort. "Once Shippo decides he likes you, he's kinda hard to shake." The kitsune ignored him. He cuddled closer, sniffing Ranma curiously. "You smell weird, what were you doing out there anyway?"  
  
She shoved the kitsune away. "I wasn't doing anything, you don't know what you're talking about." Shippo looked up at her curiously. "You smell different now, not just because you're female either. Kitsune have very sensitive noses, we're not that far from dog-youkai for sensing smells. You smell more like a dog now too, kinda like Inuyasha only..." The fox's eyes widened in disbelief and he rounded on Inuyasha. "You sick pervert!"  
  
"What? What the fuck are you talking about?" Inuyasha looked baffled, shaking deer blood off his hands. "Shippo, did you hit your head again or something?"  
  
The fox was shaking with rage. "What did you do to Ranma? I've always heard about what sickos dog-youkai were, but I really thought you were different. This is just wrong and you know it!"  
  
Inuyasha seized him by the tail. "Shippo, you got exactly one second to start making sense or I get to start beating sense into you. What's it gonna be? Are you accusing me of something?"  
  
Ranma was also confused by the angry little fox. "Yeah kid, what do you think he did? I'm fine and I don't smell anything weird either." She really didn't want to talk about what had happened in the woods, Inuyasha seemed willing to keep it quiet for now, it was something that humans couldn't understand and she sure didn't want the fox babbling to Akane about it.  
  
Shippo gulped, looking at Inuyasha's annoyed expression. "Then you didn't, you know, mate with her?"  
  
"WHHAAAT?" Inuyasha screeched. He hurled the fox into the nearest tree. "Are you nuts, what the fuck is wrong with you, Shippo? Where'd you ever get a sick, disgusting idea like that? He's a GUY, you fucking moron!"  
  
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Ranma muttered, heading for the brush. The stomach full of deer blood wasn't setting easily inside her and now Shippo's twisted little assumption was making her even queasier. Life just kept getting more fun all the time.  
  
"I'm wrong?" Shippo asked, looking from Ranma's pale face to Inuyasha's outraged glare. He rubbed the huge lump on his head. "Ranma's not a guy right now, and she's so pretty. I just thought that maybe you liked her better this way."  
  
Inuyasha closed his eyes. The fox must die. "Shippo," he said softly. "Come here."  
  
The kitsune backed away nervously. "Okay, I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Sorry about that, I must be talking to Miroku too much. I didn't know any better. Oh, come on Inuyasha, it's funny if you think about it, you and Ranma. HELP! Kagome! HELP ME! Ouch, stop it you stupid dog! Kagome, save me!"

* * *

Kagome folded her arms and looked annoyed. "Are you sure you don't want to tell me what took so long? Look at Shippo, he's a mess. Did you use him for bait or something?" She picked up the bruised fox and stroked his hair. "Shippo?"  
  
"I got nothing to say," the kitsune said sullenly. It wasn't the worst beating he'd ever received but it was definitely up there. Stupid dog could have killed him, might have anyway if Ranma hadn't intervened and told Inuyasha they'd have hard time explaining Shippo's death when they got back to Kagome. The half-demon was still fuming, every time those angry golden eyes met his, he got cold shivers down his spine.  
  
"He ran into a tree," Inuyasha said shortly. "Ask Ranma." Kagome raised her eyebrows. Ranma was sitting next to the fire, heating some water to change back into his normal form. "Don't think I won't," she snapped. "Ranma?"  
  
"I didn't see it, I fell in a creek," the she-demon said, staring fixedly at the fire. Her gut was aching something fierce. "If Inuyasha says Shippo ran into a tree, I believe him." Kagome made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat, watching as Ranma poured hot water over his head and changed back into a male demon. "Yeah, but how much help did he have in running into that tree?"  
  
"At least you managed to bring some fresh meat back," Kagome said, taking the package from Inuyasha. "I'll get started on cooking it, tonight's my night for kitchen duty anyway." "I'll help you," Akane said cheerfully. Ranma groaned loudly, bent over his abused digestive system. The girl glowered at him. "If that's your attitude you don't need to have any, Ranma."  
  
"First good news I've had all day," he grunted. The youkai flopped onto his back, hoping Inuyasha hadn't been bullshitting him about the pain going away soon. He thought about the feeling he'd had when the buck had died. For a moment, he'd felt the strength of the creature, its beauty and majesty, flowing into him in some indescribable way. It had felt, there was no other word for it, wonderful. It was like the buck's soul had merged into his own. He sighed, one hand absently rubbing his stomach.  
  
What kind of creature am I? Ranma thought. I killed and I fed on what I killed. I fed on that deer's death, I devoured his soul. The idea made him uncomfortable, thinking of old movies about vampires and soul-stealing monsters. It hadn't felt that way, it hadn't felt like an evil thing to do. It had felt as natural as breathing, he and the buck were joined together, part of each other. He'd felt something like love for just a second, gratitude even to the animal whose death sustained him. He smiled bitterly. I'm a predator, he thought to himself. I'm a killing machine, that's all it was. I slaughtered that buck to feed myself, hell I even got off on it. He winced, the idea was painful to admit even in the privacy of his own mind.  
  
Ranma turned on his side, one arm curled under his head. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds around him. The voices of his companions rose and fell around him. He isolated Akane's voice, following the girl in his mind as she helped, or tried to help, Kagome with the cooking. Her laugh rang clear and he smiled at the sound. He could see her, although his eyes remained closed, she was shining in a light of her own. The warmth and vitality of her, her joyous eagerness in everything she did. I'm happy you're here with me, he told her. I wasn't sure before but I am now.  
  
Maybe he was supposed to be like this. Ranma felt more alert inside his own body than he ever had before. He was faster, he was stronger, his senses were amazingly sharp. He had to admit, it was really pretty cool. Once he got used to the ears, the fangs, the bizarre red stripes that marked his cheeks. I can get used to this, he said to himself. Hell, I got used to turning into a girl, this isn't so awful. There's got to be worse things than being a demon.  
  
END CHAPTER 8 


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9  
  
Akane Tendo crouched, her body going rigid with concentration. She circled her opponent, her hands easily fending off the rapid fire blows. She spun gracefully in the air, her foot lashing out to knock the other girl down. She was a heartbeat too slow and her sparring partner ducked under her leg, grabbed her ankle and neatly tossed her to the ground. Akane rolled over, grinning from ear to ear. "That was awesome, Sango!"  
  
"You're pretty awesome yourself, Akane!" Sango helped the girl to her feet. "I don't know when I've had a better partner. You don't know what a treat it is for me to have you to practice with."  
  
Akane giggled. "Same here, I feel like I'm learning new things all the time I'm sparring with you. This is so much fun."  
  
"Indeed it is," Miroku murmured dreamily. He could spend the rest of his life this happy, watching the graceful bodies of the two girls dance together in martial perfection. His only wish at the moment was that Sango might discard her form fitting exterminator uniform in favor of Akane Tendo's brief outfit. Kagome had explained that girls from her era often wore such "shorts" during exercise. It had to be a wonderful place to live.  
  
"Are you thinking perverted thoughts about Sango again?" Shippo said suspiciously. The monk looked at him. "There's nothing perverse about admiring beauty, Shippo. As a spiritual person, I can appreciate loveliness in all the forms the universe provides."  
  
"You're a bad influence," the kitsune muttered. He sprang away from the monk and landed on Kagome's shoulder. "I'm bored, why are we still sitting here? I want to go now."  
  
Kagome brushed the fox off her shoulder without putting down her geometry book. "Leave off, Shippo. I've got to study now. We'll get moving as soon as Inuyasha comes back. Go play with Ranma if you're that bored."  
  
"No, I already asked him to turn into a girl and he told me to stuff myself. Whatever that means." The kitsune was pouting. No one had a sense of humor it seemed. He'd already been threatened by the young youkai that if he tried one more time to splash him there would be dire consequences indeed. Shippo threw himself on the ground, dejected. There were few things more miserable, or more dangerous, than a bored kitsune pup.  
  
Ranma was oblivious to Shippo's boredom or Miroku's lechery. He was busy working out a meditation kata. The familiar stances and movements calmed his mind, he was able to almost disconnect his consciousness as his body moved gracefully of its own volition. He'd flat out refused to spar with Akane and Sango.  
  
"Are you nuts? I could hurt you again," he said, glaring at Akane. The girl just folded her arms and fixed him with an icy look. "Don't be ridiculous, Ranma. I'm perfectly capable of defending myself and you're you at the moment. What are you afraid of?"  
  
He scowled and turned away. She couldn't understand so he didn't even try to explain. Instead, he waggled his fingers in front of her face. "You're such a damn klutz that you'd probably impale yourself on my claws and then blame me. The answer is still no."  
  
Sango tugged her away. "Come on, I'll practice with you, Akane. I learned many different fighting styles from the teachers of my village. I'm sure we can learn from each other." Sango gave him a significant look as she led Akane away. She understands, he thought grimly, but grateful for Sango's distraction.  
  
Like anyone is going to learn anything from Akane other than how to dodge when she falls on them, Ranma decided sourly. However, he had to admit she was better than usual with Sango as her partner. It was obvious that Akane was having the time of her life on this trip. The active girl seemed to adore camping on the rough ground and foraging for fresh vegetables and fruits in the wilderness. She even enjoyed the long, tiring walks that brought them closer to their destination. Her lack of complaints had even earned her Inuyasha's grudging respect.  
  
Ranma shook his head, trying to clear it so he could focus on his kata. Eyes closed fully, he sprang elegantly around the small glade, his hands and feet secure in the ancient patterns. His other senses perked up as he completed the movements, he could hear rabbits moving in the brush, birds twittering comfortably from the tallest trees. If he let himself focus on his sense of smell, he could detect the exact location of each of his human companions without opening his eyes. And the intentions of a certain fox were equally easy to read. "Don't go there, Shippo," he called softly.  
  
A disappointed sigh answered him and he grinned at the sound of a water jug being carefully placed on the ground. A new smell whispered into his nostrils and Ranma stopped his kata. "Hey, guys," he called out to his friends. "Guess who's back?"

Inuyasha burst out of the nearby trees, sopping wet and covered in mud. "Oh, gross," Kagome said, pinching her nose shut. "What have you been doing out there? You reek."  
  
He glared at her for a second and then shook his entire body, water sprayed off the silver-white hair and splattered Kagome with mud. She darted away from him. "You jerk!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," he said, grinning at her outraged reaction. "The road's washed out up ahead, just like those villagers said. We're going no farther this way. We're going to have to go through the forest from now on." They were staring at him. "What?" he demanded.  
  
"So did you go for a swim, Inuyasha?" Miroku looked disgusted, edging away from the hanyou.  
  
"No, I followed the washout to see how far it went. Fell right in too, damn ground was so soft there was nothing left to it. And in case you're wondering about the pleasant aroma, the ditch I went into was full of dead animals from that flood last week." He cast an evil look at them and started heading for Kagome. "Are you saying that I smell bad?"  
  
"Bad doesn't begin to cover the way you smell," she said, backing away from him. "Just keep your distance, okay?" He chuckled and grabbed at her. Kagome squealed and ran around the other side of the small campfire. "Don't make me say it!"  
  
He laughed. "Real nice, threatening to sit a guy just because you don't like the way he smells." Inuyasha smirked, enjoying his threat of passing on the revolting stench. Miroku and Sango dodged away from him. "You guys are starting to hurt my feelings," he taunted.  
  
Ranma was grinning at the way the half-demon was stalking Kagome. Akane looked a little irritated, but he was sure that had more to do with the obnoxious hanyou interrupting her practice session with Sango. "Someone needs to give him a bath," she muttered for Ranma's ears alone.  
  
"Are you volunteering?" Inuyasha shot back. Akane flushed, having forgotten what sensitive hearing the hanyou possessed. She ducked away as Inuyasha approached but Ranma caught her by the arm and dragged her back. "Let me go, dummy!"  
  
"Dummy?" he asked, grinning at Inuyasha. "I don't think I deserved that. Where's that ditch you were talking about?" Akane looked up at him in horror. "Ranma, you wouldn't dare!"  
  
He heaved her up and over his shoulder. "Let me show you the way," Inuyasha said considerately. Ranma was about to follow him, chuckling at Akane's shriek of anger when something new tickled his nose. He didn't know this smell and dumped Akane unceremoniously on the ground. He looked over at Inuyasha, the question already on his lips but the half-demon had stiffened in response to the same scent and spun around, whipping out his katana and holding it in front of him.  
  
"Just what I fucking needed!" the hanyou cursed, searching the sky above him. Ranma followed his gaze, his nose was itching. "What is that, is that a youkai?"  
  
Akane scrambled up from the ground just as a glowing ball appeared in front of them and burst, filling the small glade with shining light. She stared, backing slowly away until she bumped into Miroku, who gently moved her to the side to step between her and the ominous pale light. Sango had her boomerang at the ready and even Kagome had seized her bow and notched an arrow at the newcomer. A twin-headed dragon had appeared to paw the ground angrily and the youkai lord riding him cast them a disdainful look.  
  
"Who is that?" Akane whispered, looking from face to face for an answer. Judging by the angry and tense expressions on her friends' faces, it couldn't be good.  
  
She swallowed nervously as the elegant youkai slipped off the back of the dragon, absently patting one of its necks as he strolled casually into their midst. Akane thought he was beautiful, but the cold lack of expression on his face sent shivers up her spine.  
  
"What the fuck do you want this time, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha's voice was tight with hatred. The youkai raised an eyebrow at his words. "Is that any way to speak to your elder brother?"  
  
"I'll speak to you any damn way I want!"  
  
Sesshomaru smiled faintly. "A mouth like a gutter and now a smell to match. Living among humans must have damaged your sense of cleanliness, which was never outstanding in the first place."  
  
Sesshomaru looked around him imperiously, his eyes slipping negligently over the humans. Akane flushed, something about this youkai made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She didn't know that it was a normal human reaction to the presence of a Tai-Youkai. A primitive, instinctive reaction of her human blood to something otherworldly and foreign. Her nerves were screaming not to trust him, to run away and hide. It seemed as if the others felt the same. Miroku and Sango's silent apprehension was an almost physically palpable as they deliberately stood between her and the striking demon lord.  
  
Inuyasha snorted at his brother's words. "Don't tell me you came all this way just to tell me to take a bath!"  
  
Sesshomaru gave him a disgusted look. "I would not trouble myself. It hardly matters to me, your personal habits are as foul as the company you keep. The stench of humans clings to your body as it is." His eyes slid to Kagome and he smirked ever so slightly. The girl's face flushed with angry humiliation. Sesshomaru had the ability to insult anyone without so much as a word. His mocking gaze was more effective than a dozen of Inuyasha's more creative curses.  
  
"You're heading west," Sesshomaru said coldly. "Why?"  
  
Inuyasha tightened his grip on the sword. "Why the hell should I tell you?" His brother sighed, tiresome as this conversation was, he knew it probably was a waste of his effort. Inuyasha obviously knew nothing of the unrest that was plaguing the western territories. Knew nothing or cared nothing, either way was fine with Sesshomaru. For all he gave a damn the half-breed whelp could walk into the vicious conflict and get himself slaughtered, along with his human pets. As well they should, he thought, looking them over again. His eyes narrowed suddenly when he spotted the other demon.  
  
"You," he said, gesturing at Ranma. "I don't know you." He had almost mistaken the creature for a human, the revolting smell his brother was carrying had masked the traces of youki. Ranma looked nervously at the others, unwilling to approach the demon lord who sniffed the air, frowning.  
  
Sesshomaru was annoyed. He knew every dog-youkai clan by scent, even if he didn't know them by individual family. This boy was something new and he couldn't place the slightly familiar smell, but he didn't like it. "You are not hanyou, but the stink of human is all over you," he commented pleasantly. Ranma scowled, aware of the implicit insult. "For a moment I wondered if we had yet another bastard in the family. What clan are you, boy? Speak up, lord Sesshomaru commands you."  
  
"You don't command shit from me," Ranma snapped, fed up with this demon's condescending attitude. He wasn't about to stand there and be talked down to by some pompous white-haired snot. "My name is Ranma Saotome and I'm not part of any 'clan' whatever that means."  
  
"Another ignorant lowlife," Sesshomaru murmured, his gaze narrowing with dislike. "I'm asking what clan of dog-youkai you belong to, stupid wretch. Not that I care, I'm just curious if you're worth killing or not."  
  
Ranma's face went an angry red. "Why don't you try it and see for yourself, asshole?" Something about this stranger was setting him over the edge. He knew he was being extremely stupid to call out what was obviously a powerful demon, but he couldn't help himself. His instincts were telling him to attack, fight the bastard.  
  
"Are you challenging me?" Sesshomaru said in a soft, deadly voice.  
  
"Looks like it, doesn't it?" Ranma spat back.  
  
Sesshomaru looked bored. "Very well, if you're that intent to die at my hands, I must accept your challenge. You shall die." With that he turned and sent a fiery whip of bright green youki straight at Ranma. The boy yelped and managed to dodge the strike, rolling on the ground and bounding to his feet. "What the hell was that?"  
  
Inuyasha calmly slipped the Tetsusaiga back into its sheath. He didn't take his eyes off Sesshomaru for a second. His brother could move like lightning, swift and deadly. He was sure that Ranma had no idea just what he'd just provoked and wondered if the stupid punk would survive long enough to figure it out. He shook his head as Ranma managed to outrun another one of Sesshomaru's youki strikes. This should be interesting, he thought.  
  
"Ranma!" Akane shouted, watching her fiancé running for his life. "Just apologize already, he's going to kill you!" She covered her face at another near miss from the brilliant whip.  
  
"Won't work," Inuyasha muttered.  
  
"What do you mean, won't work?" she asked. Ranma kept dodging the fiery strikes, the demon never more than a half second behind him. Damn, he's fast, the young youkai thought, desperately trying to find an opening to return the attack. Sesshomaru gave him nothing, only a grim, faint smile betrayed that the demon was even interested in touching him with the painful looking energy. He hesitated a moment too long and the whip found his flesh, sizzling triumphantly and struck him hard down the back. Ranma shrieked.  
  
"Too slow," Inuyasha murmured, shaking his head. That green shit hurt like hell, he knew from personal experience. It didn't look like this was going to last much longer.  
  
Sesshomaru advanced, the youki curling around his fingers. "Did you think that you had a chance against me, miserable creature? I'm growing bored with this farce of a duel. You're lucky, I'm feeling merciful at the moment. I am prepared to end your life painlessly right now, if you beg me to."  
  
"Are you fucking crazy?" Ranma shouted. The whip shot forward again, blindingly fast and sliced open Ranma's shirt and chest. The pain was unbelievable. He staggered away, holding his hands to the wound that was seeping with a noxious green poison. "I'm not going to beg you to kill me!"  
  
"Aren't you going to do something?" Akane shrieked, beating Inuyasha on the arm with her fists. "He's your fucking brother!"  
  
He glowered at her. "Why should I? He got himself into this, he should get himself out."  
  
"But he's going to kill Ranma?" she cried, her face red and full of tears. "He doesn't deserve to die like this!"  
  
"Did I forget to mention that I'm considered to be the nice brother?" Inuyasha said acidly. He watched Ranma take yet another piercing strike and flinched sympathetically. Obviously in pain, Ranma was starting to move slower, his body covered in bloody scorch marks.  
  
"No!" Akane cried, rushing towards where the demon was torturing her friend. "Stop it!"  
  
Something heavy landed on her from behind. Miroku had jumped after her, just a few seconds faster than Sango. "Akane, don't! He'll kill you too."  
  
"I don't care," she wailed, scratching at the monk as he tried to hold her down. She slapped him hard but he didn't move, his hands on her shoulders and pinning her to the ground. Sango and Kagome knelt beside her. "Please Akane, listen to us. If you go out there he'll snuff you without thinking twice. You won't even get close enough to help," Sango said urgently.  
  
Kagome glared at Inuyasha. "Damn it, do something!"  
  
"What?" he demanded. "He challenged him, Kagome. That's serious to a dog- youkai. I can't go rushing in to rescue his ass, Ranma has to deal with him on his own!"  
  
Sesshomaru found himself amused by the young demon's stubborn stupidity. "If you insist, I will see how long I can prolong your death then. You should have not challenged me so lightly, fool." The whip shot out again and wrapped around Ranma's neck and dropped him to his knees. The pain was like nothing he'd ever felt before, it was so intense, the malevolence of the green youki ate at his will to survive. He could hear the sound of Akane's hoarse sobs and struggled weakly to free himself.  
  
It was useless, his throat was on fire, he was blind and couldn't hardly breathe. Am I dying, Ranma wondered, feeling the strength draining out of his body. The poison filling his mouth and nose tasted like sulfur. He could see no way out of the hellfire that was surrounding him.  
  
"Don't just give up," Inuyasha barked. "Fight the bastard, you stupid punk!"  
  
"That's right, little brother," Sesshomaru said icily. "Even you are capable of resisting better than this. What a pathetic excuse for a demon. I'm doing you a favor by not dragging this out, you worthless weakling."  
  
Ranma opened his eyes, the poison making them burn and sting. He looked into the cold gold eyes of the demon killing him and felt a fresh wave of anger at his words. I am not WEAK, he screamed inside his mind. Without consciously directing them, his hands came up and gripped the energy lash that was choking the life out of him. He screamed as a fresh wave of agony shot through his palms and desperately focused all his pain and anger into his hands as he pulled hard on the torturous whip.  
  
A blinding flash of light exploded around him. Ranma found himself flat on his back, his hands were burning painfully and he couldn't move, but he could breathe. Sesshomaru was standing next to him, the demon lord holding his hand in front of his face with a bemused expression. "You impudent whelp," he said softly. "You neutralized my youki, didn't you?"  
  
Ranma gagged, trying to answer him but no words would come from his tortured throat. He lay on the ground and stared up at the sky, wondering what happened. He started shivering violently, either from the poison of Sesshomaru's youki or his own brush with death, he wasn't sure. Ranma raised his head, trying to turn, look for Akane. He wanted her to know he wasn't dead, not yet anyway.  
  
"Ranma!" the girl cried. Akane brushed off Sango and Kagome's hands, they were keeping her from running to his side. Sesshomaru smiled faintly. "It seems as if you share my half brother's taste for humans. How revolting, to cling to such pathetic mortals. Perhaps you can stir yourself to defend her with a little more effort than you've shown me so far." Youki began to swirl at Sesshomaru's fingertips again and he sent a thin bright lash of pain in Akane Tendo's direction.  
  
The girl screamed and dropped to the ground, covering her head as she braced herself for the painful strike of the whip. A loud clanging sound rang out across the glade and Akane looked up. Tetsusaiga had deflected Sesshomaru's blow.  
  
"I don't think so," Inuyasha said tensely. Energy swirled around the blade as he raised it again, ready to fight.  
  
Sesshomaru looked annoyed. "Not this again, brother. Your compassion for these creatures shames us all."  
  
"It's not compassion," Inuyasha snapped. "I'm just sick of listening to you run your mouth. Leave them out of it. If you still want to fight, I'm your opponent."  
  
Sesshomaru gazed at him disinterestedly. He had already wasted enough time on this worthless enterprise. "Perhaps another time," he said softly, his fingers tapping Tokijin's hilt meaningfully. He turned his back on Inuyasha and strode over to where his dragon waited patiently for him. He mounted the beast in a fluid leap and turned a condescending smile on his brother and his companions. "If you will take my advice, stay out of the west. You won't find me willing to go so easy on you next time." And he was gone in other flash of light.  
  
"Fucking prick," Inuyasha commented, sheathing his sword. "Always with the fucking attitude."  
  
END CHAPTER 9


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 11  
  
Akane leaned forward, carefully placing the last bandage on Ranma's neck. "There, that's the last one. I'll need to find more bandages somewhere. Some of these are pretty bad and look like they'll fester. We'll need to keep them clean."  
  
"Waste of time," Inuyasha muttered. Ranma didn't look up. Akane made an annoyed sound as she put the empty box in her backpack. The hanyou rolled over to look at her. "He'll heal on his own, you don't have to worry about it getting infected. Sesshomaru's poison is fatal to humans, but those marks will be gone in three days."  
  
Kagome patted Akane on her arm comfortingly. "He's right, it looks awful now, but youkai heal fast." Akane was doubtful, Ranma's neck was a charred mess, some of the deeper scorch marks were oozing clear fluid although they had at least stopped bleeding. She didn't know how badly they still hurt, Ranma had hardly said three words to anyone since the fight. She wondered if more than just his pride was really damaged. He hated losing a fight to anyone, regardless of the circumstances.  
  
Night had fallen around their small campfire and the humans were busy laying out their sleeping bags and bedrolls. The quiet of the forest was ominous and no one really felt like talking. Ranma just sat brooding by the fire, Akane watched him and wished she had some way to help. She poured a cup of hot water from the kettle over the fire and dropped in a tea bag. "Here," she said softly.  
  
He waved her away. "Don't want it, thanks." He did appreciate that Akane was trying to make him feel better. He wasn't sure he wanted to feel better. The burns and cuts were easy enough to deal with, he could already feel them fading, if he thought about it hard enough. The girl curled up next to him, not touching him and rested her chin on her knees. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.  
  
"No," he answered just as softly. Akane sighed. "Ranma, please. It's not like its the first time you've ever lost a fight."  
  
A grunt from the treetops answered her question. "Didn't look like a fight to me, stupid punk got his ass handed to him."  
  
"Inuyasha," Kagome said sternly. "You don't need to make him feel worse. Just let him alone."  
  
The hanyou glowered down at her, his eyes firing golden in the darkness. "Am I wrong or something? Did you see a fight out there today? I saw the punk running for his life, but I sure didn't see any fighting."  
  
Ranma glared up at him, stung. "I was trying to save my ass, in case you didn't notice, he was trying to kill me." Akane put her hand on his arm, making sure it was an undamaged piece of flesh she touched. He shrugged away roughly and her hand dropped to her lap. "I'm glad he didn't kill you," she murmured.  
  
Inuyasha dropped unceremoniously to the ground. "Bah, if he'd wanted you dead, you'd be dead. Sesshomaru's a moody bastard but he was holding back. Didn't take you seriously enough to finish you off anyway. Just like the prick too, he got bored when you didn't fight back."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ranma demanded angrily. Bad enough to have been humiliated, but did they have to keep bringing it up over and over again? Hell, he'd done everything he could just to stay alive, wasn't that good enough?  
  
Sango sat down on Akane's other side. "It didn't look like you were fighting back, Ranma," she said quietly.  
  
"Screw this," he said sharply and jumped up. "Just leave me alone, I'm sick of talking about it!" Ranma stomped off into the woods, fuming and angry. Akane got up to follow him but was stopped by Miroku's gentle hand on her arm. "Maybe its best to leave him alone right now."  
  
"Oh the hell it is," Inuyasha snarled. "He's gonna talk whether he likes it or not!" He disappeared into the brush after Ranma.  
  
"Inuyasha," Kagome called out warningly. His voice answered back from the darkness. "Butt out, wench. This is between youkai."  
  
Akane sat back down again and sighed heavily. Sango reached over to touch her hand. "Don't worry about him so much, Akane. He's got a lot to deal with right now."  
  
"And I'm no help, as usual," the short haired girl answered sadly.  
  
"Don't say that," Kagome said, sitting next to her and hugging her shoulders. "You're helping just by being here, otherwise he'd be all alone in this. Isn't that why you wanted to come along with him? So he wouldn't have to be alone?"  
  
She smiled, buoyed by Kagome and Sango's friendly concern. "I guess so, I just feel like I'm totally out of my league. I don't know anything about demons, I can't imagine how hard this has to be."  
  
"Best to let him handle it in his own way," Miroku said sagely. Shippo jumped to his shoulder. "Oh and you're an expert on demons now? Since when do you know how Ranma feels?"  
  
Miroku eyed the fox speculatively. "And you have some insight that you'd like to share?"  
  
"Well, I am a demon too," the fox said importantly. He looked around at the humans. "Ranma's a dog-demon, just like Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. That's why he challenged Sesshomaru and that's why Inuyasha wouldn't help him."  
  
"I don't get you," Akane said, looking at the little kitsune with curiosity. Sango grinned suddenly and nudged her. "Oh, I understand now. It's that dominance thing again. Ranma challenged Sesshomaru because he recognized him as a threat and wanted to prove he wasn't intimidated. I thought it was a crazy thing to do."  
  
"Have you ever run into any other dog-youkai?" Kagome asked.  
  
Sango shook her head. "No, they are actually pretty rare this far east. That's part of the reason that this area has so many smaller and wilder youkai. Dog-youkai claim territories as their own and run out anything they don't like. Wolves are almost as bad, except that wolves keep to themselves more often than not. Most of the lower youkai we've come across wouldn't stand a chance. Dogs also fight each other constantly and that's another good reason to avoid them. My father always said that they were dangerously hard to kill and after seeing Sesshomaru fight with Inuyasha, I know why he thought so."  
  
Kagome yawned, stretching widely before settling down to her sleeping bag. Shippo hopped over to cuddle up next to her. "And what do fox-youkai fight about?" she asked him, tickling the kitsune under his chin.  
  
Shippo giggled. "We don't fight with each other. Kitsune like to have fun, we don't claim territories or engage in bloodfeuds. It takes too much effort to fight when you'd rather be playing in the woods."

* * *

Inuyasha shoved his way through the forest, sniffing around for Ranma's scent. His nose told him the stupid punk had come this way. "Ranma!" he shouted. "Get your ass over here so I can yell at you to your face. I know you can hear me!"  
  
"They can hear you all the way to China, moron," a voice said from high in the trees. Inuyasha looked up, meeting the young demon's angry glare. "Don't you get that I don't want to talk about it?"  
  
"Well, fuck you too," Inuyasha sneered. He hopped easily up the side of the tree, springing nimbly from branch to branch in the near darkness. He stopped at the branch right under Ranma, standing up to lean against it and stare at the irritable young demon. "What's your fucking problem?" he growled.  
  
Ranma gave him a disgusted look. "You're my fucking problem, don't you have anything better to do than bother me?"  
  
The hanyou grunted. "Guess not. What the hell happened out there anyway? I've seen you fight before and didn't think you'd turn into a little girl and run like that."  
  
"Asshole!" Ranma snapped. He fought back the anger that was rising inside him. "You don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Uh huh," Inuyasha said. This was getting him nowhere. He grabbed the branch that Ranma was sitting on and yanked it out from under the startled demon. The branch gave way and sent them both tumbling to the ground.  
  
Ranma got to his feet, radiating cold fury. "I've had enough of your shit," he yelled, throwing himself at Inuyasha. The hanyou rolled on the ground to get away from him. "Oh so now you feel like fighting?" he goaded.  
  
Ranma punched him right in the mouth and Inuyasha froze in surprise. Blood trickled from his lip. That was a really hard punch, he thought to himself. He wiped off his lip somewhat thoughtfully. He looked at Ranma, the punk's face was a mask of fury, a tinge of red glowing in his eyes.  
  
"Come on!" Ranma snarled, ready to fight, spoiling for it. He wanted to use his claws now, rip the hanyou's head off and pound him into the ground. He felt the rage building inside him and his body started to tingle. He wanted to taste blood in his mouth and...where the hell did that come from, he wondered, scared of himself. He forced the feelings down, alarmed by the depth of hatred that was whispering in his mind over the hanyou's comments. "I don't want to do this," he muttered.  
  
Inuyasha could sense the youki building hard in Ranma's body and just as abruptly, felt it cut off at the source. He licked his cut lip and scratched his head. "So that's it," he said.  
  
"What's it?" Ranma asked, looking at Inuyasha suspiciously. "Aren't you going to hit me back?" The hanyou smirked. "You're afraid of it, aren't you?"  
  
Ranma glared at him, taking a few steps back. "I don't know what you're babbling about."  
  
Inuyasha was grinning at him. "You wanted to tear my head off a minute ago, but you stopped yourself. You're scared of it, you're scared of the youki inside you."  
  
"Shut up," the demon said, stalking away from him. Inuyasha followed and jumped in front of Ranma, blocking any dignified escape. "Don't like it, do you? What a stupid punk you are, you almost let yourself get killed by that prick rather than let it loose. That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. Funnier than you turning into a bitch even."  
  
"It's not funny!" Ranma shouted, outraged. "I'm not scared of anything, I just don't want to become a raving maniac, okay? I don't want to become some kind of fucking monster like..."  
  
"Like me?" Inuyasha said harshly. "Like Sesshomaru? Is that what you're trying to say? Too bad, punk. You already are." He gave the angry youkai a disgusted look. "So you're a fucking monster, big fucking deal. Learn to live with it already."  
  
"How?" Ranma burst out.  
  
Inuyasha looked at him strangely. "If you don't you might as well lay down and die. I'm not saying it's easy." He definitely didn't like the direction this conversation was taking. It was bringing up too many memories, too many angry, blood soaked moments. Until not long ago, he would have laughed off the idea that he could ever lose control. Bad enough having to live with some of the things he'd done consciously, having to live with what he couldn't control became a nightmare. Now he knew better, but that didn't mean that it wasn't ever going to happen again. He scowled, wishing he hadn't followed Ranma into the forest if it meant bringing up memories like that.  
  
"Just deal with it," he said shortly. "Next time you make an ass of yourself by challenging another demon, don't expect to live through it." He made the mistake of turning his back on the angry and upset youkai and a kick sent him sprawling.  
  
Ranma was fed up with the hanyou's condescension. "How about right now?" he panted. A fight was exactly what he needed. "You want a fight, you got it," Inuyasha hissed. He cocked back his fist just as Ranma grabbed him with his claws.  
  
"Stop! Let me out of here before you do that!"  
  
Ranma pulled back, looking around for the source of the voice. "Who said that, show yourself now!" He looked over at Inuyasha, who was frowning and started to slap himself on the arms and chest. "Myoga, you rotten coward, where the hell are you?"  
  
A tiny flea popped out of Inuyasha's hair. Ranma stared at him. "Who are you?"  
  
The flea bowed to him. "My name is Myoga, young Ranma. Forgive me for not announcing my presence earlier, Inuyasha-sama. I was waiting for a more appropriate opportunity."  
  
Inuyasha seized the flea and squeezed. "Just how long have you been hiding on me this time, you little wretch. I should squash you like the bug you are." Myoga struggled vainly again the pinching grip. "Not long, I was making my way back to you of course. I would have spoken up earlier today, but you seemed so busy and..."  
  
"And it has nothing to do with the fact that Sesshomaru scares the jelly out of you, does it?" Inuyasha said dryly. He released the flea and Myoga sprang gratefully onto Ranma's shoulder. "Allow me to introduce myself, young friend," he said and promptly drove his sticker into Ranma's shoulder.  
  
"Hey, knock it off!" Ranma swatted him. "A flea demon, are you serious?" he asked. The forlorn little youkai looked up at him. "Well, what else would I be," Myoga said, a little bit annoyed that the new youkai wasn't going to allow him a courteous meal.  
  
"Pain in the ass," Inuyasha muttered. "You always run whenever there's trouble, you coward."  
  
"I am not a coward," Myoga said, indignant from the relative safety of Ranma's arm. "I came all this way just to warn you and this is the thanks I get. When I think of all the years I've wasted in serving your family, it just brings tears to my eyes to be treated so harshly."  
  
"Warn me about what?" Inuyasha said suspiciously. "Does this have something to do with my asshole brother showing up today?"  
  
"Indeed, Inuyasha-sama!" Myoga puffed up importantly. "I have come to tell you of a great unrest plaguing the Western territories. You must not go there! All the dog-clans have turned against each other and its open season on any strangers. I'm quite surprised that Sesshomaru-sama didn't see fit to mention it."  
  
"I'm not," Inuyasha said quietly. He looked at Ranma. "That old woman is supposed to live at the base of the Western mountains. If we're going there, we have to cross a lot of territory. It would be dangerous to begin with, but now that the clans are at all out war with each other, it's going to be nearly impossible."  
  
Ranma sat down on the ground. "It was a stupid idea anyway." I can't ask Akane to go into a war zone, he thought. "I should go alone," he said softly.  
  
Inuyasha glared at him. "Are you that stupid, didn't you hear what the damn flea just said? It's suicide."  
  
"You got any better options?" Ranma shot back. "I'm not giving up yet, but I'm also not going to put Akane in danger by trying to cross a battleground."  
  
"I may be able to help with that," Myoga put in delicately.

* * *

Sitting quietly in the brush, the observer watched as the hanyou and the young demon left the forest to return to their camp. He smiled, this was a most interesting development. His spies had made him aware of the group's journey west and after hearing reports of Sesshomaru's strange battle with the new youkai, he'd come to see about the situation himself. Is this something I can use to my advantage, he thought. It was obvious the demon was unable or unwilling to access the frightening strength that was within his own body. Perhaps he just needs a little assistance in order to fully become the monster he fears? An intriguing possibility, he smirked, and one not without potential for chaos. Amused by his own designs, he left the forest with a whisper of his white baboon pelt. 


	11. Chapter 11

* * *

"It's raining again?" Ranma howled in outrage. She was female again, a bloody female demon and it was the third time that day. "Why do I bother changing back?" she yelled at the cloudy wet sky. "I should just stay a girl all the time so you wouldn't have to bother screwing with me!"  
  
Sango leaned over to Akane, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Who is he talking to?" Akane grimaced, sitting down to dig a rock out of her shoe. "Damned if I know, he gets like this sometimes, thinks that the universe is out to get him. Don't worry, it will pass."  
  
Ranma kicked a tree furiously to vent his frustration. "Isn't it enough that I have to live like this?" she snarled. No one dared mention that the snarl was adorable on her lightly furred face. It wasn't enough to turn female, it wasn't enough to turn demon, I gotta be cute too, she thought angrily, digging her claws into the bark. It felt good to shred something.  
  
While the others were waiting for Ranma's temper tantrum to pass so they could resume their journey, Inuyasha decided he'd had quite enough. Silently, he searched for a spot of bare earth in the otherwise thick brush and dug his claws into the soft, sticky mud, scooping up a big handful of muck. "Ranma!" he shouted.  
  
"What?" she answered, turning around. Inuyasha hurled the mudball into her face with youkai accuracy. "Shut the FUCK up! You're giving me a headache, you whiny bitch!"  
  
Miroku jumped out the way as the she-demon screamed in rage, covered in a disgusting mess of wet earth and moldy leaves. Ranma charged the hanyou, bowling him over into the mud and trying her damnedest to make him eat it. Kagome sat down on a fallen log and wished one more time for a pair of dry socks. She checked her backpack. Nope, denied again.

* * *

"I don't care anymore. Let's just camp here tonight." Kagome was exhausted. Their route through the forest had been a nightmare, even with Ranma and Inuyasha trying to clear the thicker brush so that the humans would have an easier time. They were all scratched and bruised from fighting their way through the trees. At last they'd come to a small clearing next to a stream and everyone fell gratefully on the ground. Kagome grit her teeth, swatting at the ever present flies and gnats that seemed determined to make her their dinner. She dug in her backpack. "It's gotta be in here somewhere," she muttered to herself. Her searching fingers found the cool metal of the canister. "Yes!"  
  
Kagome shook the can vigorously and waved to Akane, who was also fighting her own losing insect battle. "Here, this will help." Akane turned around and Kagome spritzed the other girl and herself liberally with insect repellent. Akane looked relieved, she'd hardly been able to sleep the night before from the biting and buzzing.  
  
"Fuck, not that shit again," Inuyasha said, covering his nose. He hated the bug spray, it made his nose itch and then go numb. "What have I told you about spraying that crap around me, bitch?"  
  
Kagome stuck out her tongue at him. "Don't be such a jerk. Just because the mosquitoes don't bother you doesn't mean the rest of us should have to suffer." She held out the can meaningfully to Sango and Miroku. "You sure that you don't want any?"  
  
Sango grinned and shook her head. She had to admit that she didn't like the smell of Kagome's repellent any more than Inuyasha did, although her nose was nowhere near as sensitive as his. Miroku looked unconcerned. "Even mosquitoes have the right to exist along side the rest of us."  
  
"Suit yourself," the girl told the monk cheerfully. "If you want to line up to be a hot lunch for the bugs that's fine with us. At least tonight Akane and her could have some relief. Inuyasha made a disgusted sound as he edged away from her. "Why don't they bite you anyway?" she demanded.  
  
He smirked at her. "They don't like the taste of demon, I guess. Ranma and Shippo aren't bothered either. You and Akane must just be the tasty ones."  
  
"It's not a matter of taste, Inuyasha-sama," Myoga said. He was lounging on his preferred perch, namely Miroku's shoulder. The Buddhist monk was the only member of the party who was willing to spare a tired flea a drop or two of blood now and then. And he didn't swat him the way Inuyasha and Ranma did. "Youkai skin is much tougher than human skin, a mosquito would have to work very hard indeed to pierce the flesh enough to draw blood. As a flea-youkai, I am of course strong enough to do so. The young ladies, however, are most tender and attractive to blood feeders such as myself."  
  
"Ewww," Kagome said. Akane looked green. "That is so disgusting, flea- jijii." The girls looked suspiciously at the tiny demon as if he was about to pounce on them for nourishment. Myoga was hurt at their implicit rejection.  
  
"Whatever, I don't care why they don't bother me as long as they don't," Inuyasha said airily. His nose wrinkled again at the smell of the insect repellent. "I'm getting out of here until you two manage to air out," he said, springing off towards the trees.  
  
"It doesn't bother you, Ranma?" Akane asked, looking over at the young demoness who was carefully placing a pot of water over the hastily built fire. "No, I don't like it, but it doesn't make me want to run away," she answered.  
  
Ranma stood up and stretched, looking around her with a vague dissatisfaction. One of the things that bothered him the most about being in his female form was that he almost always got an unbelievable craving for sweets. She knew that Kagome's stash of treats had run out several days ago. Ranma peered into the brush, catching a glimpse of bright color. A closer investigation brought a happy smile to her face. "Hey, we've got blueberries over here!"  
  
"I love blueberries!" Shippo squealed as he ran to join Ranma. The two of them buried their faces in the thick leaves, scarfing up the succulent berries. Ranma bent over as far as she could, slapping the kitsune's paws away from the sweet treats. "Get your own bush, Shippo, this one's mine," she rumbled.  
  
Miroku sighed and leaned his chin on his hand, watching Shippo and Ranma stuff their faces. Actually he wasn't so much watching them scrabble in the brush as much as he was admiring the view that the demoness was providing. Sango noticed his dreamy gaze and scowled darkly. "Don't you ever give it a rest?" she said sharply.  
  
He blinked at her innocently. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Sango." She planted her hands on her hips. "The hell you don't, I can tell exactly what's on your mind."  
  
"Good," he said mildly, turning back to fix his gaze on Ranma's bottom. "In that case I won't have to explain myself." The girl made an annoyed sound and went to sit as far from the hentai monk as she could. "It's disgusting," she said under her breath to Akane.  
  
The other girl chuckled. "I have to agree, but what else can we do? If he's stupid enough to grope Ranma's cursed form, he deserves what he gets. I just hope I'm around to see it." Akane knew that nothing got under her fiance's skin like having other guys grabbing onto his female body. That was a quick trip to the emergency room as numerous male citizens of Nerima had found out. Certainly Miroku didn't seem to be quite as dense as the boys she went to school with, but at least the friendly monk had sense enough to keep his hands to himself so far. She herself still itched for her chance to get at those adorable little ears.  
  
Ranma straightened up and heaved a huge sigh of contentment. "Those were fantastic," she proclaimed, rubbing her mouth on the back of her fist. Purple juices were smeared all over her mouth and chin and the demoness caught the disapproving glance of her fiancée. "What?" she demanded.  
  
Akane fished out a water bottle from her pack and tossed it to her. "You're a mess, Ranma, wash your face off before you attract flies." The she-demon scowled and tipped water into her hand to rub her face. Convinced that took care of the problem, she now found herself thirsty after her blueberry gorge and noisily drained the bottle. "Thanks," she said, tossing the now empty container back to Akane. Ranma belched loudly and scratched herself with an absentminded attention. "Now I gotta take a piss," she commented to no one in particular, heading for the trees.  
  
Sango and Kagome shuddered. "That is just so wrong," Sango said, shaking her head. "Has she always been like that?"  
  
Akane laughed. "You forget that when Ranma is in his girl form, it's just his body that changes. Inside, he's the same person and yes, he's always been that disgusting. It's just more noticeable when he's a female."  
  
"Noticeable is right," Kagome answered, fishing around in her backpack for her detestable math textbook. "Akane, are you still going to help me figure this out?" she asked plaintively. The other girl grinned and scooted over to sit beside her friend. "Of course, it would be a mark of dishonor against the Tendo dojo if I allowed you to fail geometry."

* * *

Akane was watching Ranma out of the corner of her eye. Her fiancé had been moodier than ever that evening, snapping at Kagome when she asked him to pass the rice over dinner, pushing Shippo away when the little kitsune boy wanted to play. It wasn't like him at all, she reflected. Normally he annoyed her with his happy-go-lucky, don't-give-a-damn attitude, but she found herself missing his cocky cheerfulness when it was absent. Right now he sat quietly, picking up sticks from the ground and sharpening the tips on his claws, then shoving the sharp ends deep into the soft earth. She sighed, her companions were all asleep or almost there, but Ranma still stared broodingly at the fire. Prepared for yet another rejection, she went to sit next to him. "Hi."  
  
He didn't look over at her. "Hi yourself. Shouldn't you be getting some sleep, Akane? We've got another long day tomorrow." Myoga the flea had estimated they were still a day or two's journey from the river that would take them north and west. Hopefully they'd be able to avoid whatever conflict was boiling in the Western lands between the dog-demon clans. He was curious and apprehensive about it, wondering what he would do if they did meet any dog-youkai. If they're all like that Sesshomaru, it wasn't going to be a fun experience.  
  
"I'm not sleepy yet," the girl said softly. "Ranma, what's wrong? You've been biting everyone's head off. It's not like you."  
  
"Oh really?" he sneered. He turned to look at Akane finally. "There's a lot that's not like me right now." She'd never seen him so down before. Akane reached to touch his hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"No," he said roughly and yanked his hand away. Ranma stood up, brushing the dirt off his hands. "Just let me alone, I don't need any help from you or anyone else." He disappeared into the brush and Akane glared after him. "You asshole!"  
  
She heard a derisive snort from somewhere up in the trees. "Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. Talk about wasting your time on someone who's not worth it."  
  
Akane glowered up at the hanyou. "What do you know about it?" she said sharply. "You don't even know him."  
  
Inuyasha yawned widely, settling himself more comfortably on his branch. "So go after him, girl," he said sleepily. "Unless you're afraid of him. I didn't think you were that easily scared."  
  
"I will," she snapped. Inuyasha watched the girl storm into the forest after the cranky young demon. He laid back and prepared to sleep. She's a feisty one, he decided, smirking.   
  
Akane was mad and she was hurt by Ranma's callous rejection. She walked deeper into the dark forest, stumbling over tree roots she couldn't see. The girl put her hands out keep from running into the low branches and suddenly reflected that chasing Ranma in the dark when he could see and she couldn't wasn't exactly the best idea. Her foot found a hole in the soft forest floor and she tripped and caught herself painfully on her palms before hitting the ground. "Damn it!"  
  
"What are you doing?" Ranma had appeared out of the darkness, his hands automatically reaching for her arms to help her up. She shoved him away, frustrated and angry. "What do you think? I'm looking for you, you big jerk!"  
  
"What did I do?" he demanded. "Just because you can see where you're going..."  
  
She cut him off. "I came looking for you because we need to talk about this. I'm tired of you pushing me away, I know you're going through a really hard time right now but I'm not going to stand for this any longer! We're in this together, do you understand? I know that you don't want any help and that's fine, but you don't have to treat me like crap when I offer it!"  
  
She was breathing hard, surprised by the depth of her hurt and anger. He stood quiet for a moment, she couldn't see his expression in the darkness. "I'm sorry," he murmured, his hand touching her hot cheek lightly.  
  
Akane relaxed. "Well, you should be," she grumbled, not exactly ready to let him off the hook. It would help if she could see his face. She jumped as his fingertips touched her hair, moving it gently off her forehead. "I've been a real jerk, haven't I?"  
  
"It's not like I'm not used to it," she grinned and then regretted her flippant reply as his hand withdrew. Akane grimaced, it seemed like it just never got any easier for them. She bit her lip. "What I meant to say was, I know you don't mean stuff the way you say it. I've just gotten used to seeing past that tough guy act."  
  
He laughed, surprised. "So you think it's an act? I thought I had you fooled this whole time."  
  
"You can't fool me, Ranma." Akane guessed where he was standing and darted her hands toward his ribs, which she knew were ticklish. He caught her wrists easily in the dark, holding her hands pressed against his chest. "I guess I shouldn't try," he said softly.  
  
She swallowed, suddenly very aware of his nearness. "Ranma?" He didn't answer, but instead brushed her cheek with his lips in a feather soft kiss. "I promise I'll try to be nicer to you," he whispered, closing his eyes and inhaling the fragrance of her hair and skin. One of the benefits to being youkai he had discovered was that good things smelled even better. He could hear Akane's heart beating faster, smell the scent of her racing pulse. Strange impulses filled him again and he gently tugged the girl closer.  
  
Akane let Ranma hold her, wondering at the change that had come over him. He ducked his head again, ruffling her hair with his nose and she could hear a strange vibration echoing from deep within his chest. It was actually kind of nice, she thought, leaning her head against his chest, feeling the light vibration through his shirt against her cheek. She closed her eyes, it was more than kind of nice, it was wonderful. She relaxed and let herself lean into him, feeling his strong arms tighten around her protectively.  
  
Ranma wasn't sure where he'd suddenly gotten the courage to hold Akane like this, his brain was buzzing with a hundred different impulses. And the way she was pressing against him left him in no doubt that she approved. Somewhat befuddled, he reached up to caress her soft hair, wondering how he'd gotten so lucky that Akane had wanted to come with him instead of staying home where she was safe. He wanted to kiss her, wanted to very badly, but he wasn't sure if he could trust himself right now.  
  
Akane reached up to touch his face, her soft hands exploring his features in the darkness. It was a warm, moonless night and she decided that she probably wouldn't have dared to do this if she could see him clearly. Ranma, for his part, could see quite clearly and he was amazed at the tenderness in Akane's slight smile. Maybe it was the demon blood inside him making him feel reckless and brave, but he couldn't resist any longer and put his hands on her shoulders and pressed his lips against hers in a swift kiss.  
  
Her breath caught in surprise at the kiss as it took her completely off guard. He watched her face anxiously, looking for signs of anger or annoyance. Ranma was pretty sure that she wanted him to kiss her, her body was giving off all the signs, but he wasn't sure how to read her right now. Akane herself put an end to his apprehension, her hands moving softly around his neck and her eyes lighting up in a pleased expression. She tilted her face up to meet his and he kissed her again, this time more slowly. Her mouth met his eagerly, her fingers twisting in his unruly hair and she concentrated on kissing him back as firmly and undeniably as she could. She felt his lips part moistly under hers and joyfully slipped the tip of her tongue between them. Her tongue found the tip of his fangs a little more aggressively than she'd intended and Akane jerked back in surprise.  
  
He tasted her blood in his mouth and Ranma wasn't sure where he was anymore. His head was spinning and his body was starting to tingle with desires. "Careful," he whispered huskily, kissing her lightly on her cheeks, then her eyelids and the tip of her nose. His lips caught hers again and this time Ranma felt no hesitation in claiming her sweetness for his own. Akane felt her legs go weak as Ranma held her against a tree, kissing her with a passion and intensity that she'd only dreamed of until now.  
  
Akane held onto him as tightly as she could, gasping aloud as his mouth moved to kiss her throat, the soft kisses and flicks of his tongue against her sensitized skin was more than she could bear. She whispered his name over and over, winding her hands tighter in his hair, his braid coming undone as she pressed his head against her neck. Ranma growled softly, tasting her with all his senses now, reveling in the warmth of her response. He let his hands explore her as he moved his mouth back to hers, taking her lower lip in his teeth gently and sucking it like it was a sweet. His hands had a mind of their own, slipping under her shirt to touch her hesitantly. She arched her back, pressing against him with an abandonment that astounded him.  
  
Breathing hard, he became more daring and felt a wild possessive urge to grab Akane and carry her off to some secret place. She leaned forward, kissing his throat and under his jaw, her fingers digging into his arms as she grew bolder. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought this was moving too fast, he wouldn't be able to keep himself under control if they didn't stop soon. Ranma didn't think she knew what she was doing to him, driving him wild and adding fuel to the fire that burned inside him with her hands and her lips answering his so clearly and strong. He pushed her back, he had to get some breathing room and fast before she drove him right over that dark edge.  
  
"Ranma?" her voice was husky, heavy with her newly woken passion. He licked his lips. "Akane, are you, I mean, I can't hold back for us both if you aren't sure..." Her fingers ran over his lips in the darkness, reaching for him. "Ranma," she murmured again.  
  
Something new invaded his senses and his body went rigid. Without hesitation he grabbed the girl roughly and hurled her out of the way just as a slavering monster plowed in the tree right where she'd been standing. I didn't hear it coming, he thought urgently. Not until the last minute, it could have taken her.  
  
Snarling with rage he attacked, tracking his enemy easily in the near darkness that was bright as day to his youkai eyes. He struck at the monster, a long winding snake of a demon hissing at him angrily. "Your blood will taste as sweet as hers," it rumbled menacingly.  
  
"Just try it," he said, his eyes glinting dangerously. Akane was huddled on the ground, looking around her frantically. "Just stay there, Akane," he ordered. She can't defend herself, she can't even see it. Akane could smell something rank and horrible and her skin had been snagged by splinters when the tree was torn apart. Ranma stood between Akane and the snake demon and laughed harshly. "What are you waiting for, snake? Come and get a taste of me if you can."  
  
The snake hurled itself at the youkai again, venom slobbering from its dark fangs. Ranma flipped over it, landing on the reptile's back and sinking his claws joyfully into the monster's hide. The snake shrieked angrily, trying to twist the youkai off as it rolled around the damp forest floor. Ranma had no problem hanging on, his hands were covered in stinking blood and he struck again and again. The feeling of the hot blood gushing between his fingers was as pure and blissful as any sensation he'd ever known. For the first time he wanted to cause something pain, he wanted to punish and revel in the destruction. Akane was sobbing, covering her face with her hands at the sounds the dying monster made, piercing shrieks of agony and far worst of all the cold, horrible laughter that made her heart freeze inside her chest. It was Ranma, he was enjoying it, she was suddenly glad she couldn't see his face. "Stop it," she screamed, unable to deal with the horrible sounds any longer. "Just kill it, don't...don't play with it!"  
  
Something hard crashed into her back, sending the girl sprawling. Hard claws sank into her arms, not puncturing her flesh but gripping her harshly just the same. Akane tried to get her feet under her to fight off the creature on her back but suddenly found herself soaring straight into the air, helpless as a mouse caught in the powerful talons of a hawk. "Ranma!"  
  
He looked up from his slaughter of the snake demon in time to see Akane hauled into the sky but some winged, reptilian creature. She was shouting for him and he threw himself off the snake and tried to reach her, but she was already far above him. "Akane!" he screamed. 


	12. Chapter 12

**

* * *

A/N: Just a quick FYI, a good part of this chapter is a dream sequence. Hope it's not too muzzy to follow!  
**  
Ranma stood helpless and horrified, his stomach knotted in fury as he watched the monster carry off Akane. The young demon hissed angrily, gathering himself into a crouch as he prepared to spring after them. He would pursue. There was no way in hell he'd abandon Akane.  
  
Something brilliant flared overhead, drawing his eyes. A shining missile was streaking across the dark sky, leaving a bright trail of energy in its wake. The sacred arrow split the air, glowing intensely as it sought out its target. The winged demon shrieked as the tip of the arrow found its mark and the monster burst into a thousand radiant pieces, showering the forest with light. Ranma didn't hesitate, racing high into the air to meet the girl's falling body. He caught her neatly in his arms and dropped back to the ground.  
  
Akane's arms went around his neck and she was shaking so hard she couldn't speak. The girl burst into tears and buried her face in his neck, sobbing helplessly. His hands stroked her soft hair. "It's over," he murmured gently. "Akane, don't cry, you're safe now."  
  
"What the hell is happening here?" Miroku burst out of the forest at a run, a makeshift torch held high in his hand. Sango was just behind him, Shippo on her shoulder and both their faces were tight with concern. "Is Akane okay?" the kitsune asked anxiously. "We heard her screaming."  
  
The girl shuddered violently and Ranma held her tighter. "I think so," he told the fox. "It just happened so fast."  
  
"Damn lucky shot," a voice rang out over their heads.  
  
"It was not lucky! It was skill, I've been practicing."  
  
"Skill my ass, you were just lucky."  
  
"Damn it, Inuyasha, can't you just admit it was a good shot? You were right there, don't you tell it was just luck!"  
  
The hanyou jumped into their midst, Kagome clinging to his back with her bow slung over her shoulder. Inuyasha hitched his hands under the girl's knees and looked over his shoulder. "Feh, okay it was a nice shot. But it's just pure dumb luck that you didn't hit Akane by mistake."  
  
She whacked him on the back of the head with her hand. "Why do you have to be such a jerk, put me down already!"  
  
"Not until you admit you were lucky."  
  
Kagome pulled at his hair. "Don't make me say it!" Inuyasha grabbed the back of her legs and held on tight. "You do and you're going down with me, bitch."  
  
Miroku scratched the top of his head and grinned sheepishly. "This could take all night. Can't you two just call a truce for now, I've never met two more stubborn..."  
  
"Shut up," Inuyasha and Kagome said at the same time. The girl slithered off the hanyou's back when he grudgingly let go of her legs. Kagome's face instantly fell when she saw Akane still shivering with fear at her close call. "Oh my god, please say you're not hurt. I didn't scare you with my arrow, did I?"  
  
Akane pulled herself together, stilling holding fast to Ranma. She didn't want him to put her down. "I'm fine," she said, trying to reassure her friend. "It was just freaky getting yanked into the sky. It was a great shot, Kagome."  
  
Inuyasha snorted but didn't say anything further, ignoring Kagome's glare. He wandered over to the corpse of the snake demon and whistled softly. Blood was everywhere, glistening wetly all over the grass and brush. The serpent's back was completely torn away, bits of flesh and tissue hung in grisly streamers from the lower branches of trees. "Hot damn, guess it's not going to get any deader, is it?"  
  
Ranma didn't want to look at the snake, the rank smell of the monster's blood was thick in his nose. If he closed his eyes he could feel the delicious sensation of the snake's meat oozing between his claws. Only his horror at seeing Akane snatched skyward had stopped his rampage. "It just came out of nowhere," he muttered, gently letting Akane to the ground now that she could stand on her own. "I didn't have a choice."  
  
The hanyou looked over at him with a satisfied grin. "Shit, I'm not complaining. I knew you'd turn into a real demon sooner or later."  
  
Ranma looked like he'd been slapped in the face. He turned pale and backed away from Inuyasha as if the hanyou had threatened to attack him. "I..." he said, feeling so sick and so miserable it was unbearable. Akane reached for his arm. "Ranma, are you okay?"  
  
Ranma shook his head, wordless and mute. His head was throbbing and the smell of blood on his hands was overwhelming. The sensations were rushing over him, his blood was pounding in his temples. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard someone screaming. "Stop it," he said, gripping the sides of his head. He fell over on the ground and heard Akane say something to him but it wasn't clear. "Just leave me alone, goddamnit!" He wasn't shouting at the girl, he was shouting at the voices pounding away in his mind, he couldn't see, couldn't hardly breathe and didn't realize he was shaking and thrashing wildly on the forest floor.

* * *

Six year old Ranma Saotome was running away gleefully, a stolen okonomiaki clutched tight in his hands. "Come back here, you little thief!" He giggled at the sound of Ucchan's anger, skipping away merrily down a deserted alley as he stuffed the hot treat in his mouth. Stolen food always tasted better on the run and it lessened the chances of being caught with the evidence, so his father had told him.  
  
The little boy darted around the corner and made for the playground, knowing it was probably deserted as most kids his age and older would be in school. Suckers, he thought, planting himself down on a swing and gobbling up his prize. The hot okonomiaki burnt his tongue and Ranma winced but didn't stop chewing. It tasted so much better when it was still hot.  
  
Ranma looked around the quiet playground. The little hairs on the back of his neck were standing up and the boy wasn't sure why. It felt like someone was watching him and the feeling made him uncomfortable. He could see no sign of the angry okonomiaki vendor. Somewhat wistful, he returned to his stolen lunch and that's when he saw the dog.  
  
It was beautiful, a great shaggy snow-white dog, coming slowly towards him. Ranma stared, he'd never seen a dog quite that big before, it was more like the size of a small pony. He watched it thoughtfully, quite unafraid of the large animal. "Here puppy!"  
  
The dog's eyes were a pale golden shade and when he was close enough to get a good look at the boy, he sat down and regarded the child curiously. Ranma grinned and held out a piece of food to the elegant creature. "Want some?"  
  
The dog's ears perked up and his nose twitched hopefully. The child got up from his swing and went to stand next to him, still holding out the piece of okonomiaki. "It's really good," the boy assured the dog.  
  
Delicately for such a large animal, the dog took the offered treat, tasting it thoughtfully. Ranma chuckled happily at his new friend, his small hands getting lost in the great dog's soft fur. "You're a nice boy," Ranma told the dog, rubbing the silky ears. The dog's eyes closed and a soft rumble of bliss escaped from his deep chest. Ranma laughed again as the dog leaned against his legs, it was taller than he was, even sitting down. "What kind of doggie are you?" the boy asked, obviously expecting an answer.  
  
The white dog gave him a somewhat ironic look, almost as if he understood the boy's remark. The dog stood up again and shook out his long white fur. Grinning, the boy reached over to pet the long plume of a tail, the hairs sliding through his fingers like rough silk. Ranma sighed happily. "I wish I knew your name, boy. I bet you're a good friend." The dog split the air with a sharp bark, answering him. The child stared at him and the dog bounced on his front legs, tail wagging furiously as the little boy watched him.  
  
"Do you want me to follow you?" Ranma asked incredulously. The dog rolled his eyes and knelt his front half in an elegant bow, his eyes flicking meaningfully at the child. Get on my back, kid, he seemed to say.  
  
Ranma was delighted. The little boy took a fistful of hair in each hand and hauled himself up, struggling a bit as he finally managed to get his leg over the dog's tall back. The ears flicked back at Ranma as he settled himself. Ready, kid? they seemed to ask.  
  
The dog took off like a shot and ran so fast that the streets became a blur. Ranma buried his face in the long white fur and held on for dear life. This is so great, he thought, loving the speed and power of the animal underneath him. He could feel the shock of each footfall in his body as the dog thundered down the streets and up a wide, grassy hill. "Hey," Ranma shouted, suddenly alarmed. "Slow down, dog!"  
  
Ranma held on as tight as he could, his mind reeling from the fast pace and the breakneck turns the dog was inflicting on him. "I'm gonna fall off," he wailed. His eyes widened as he saw the dog was heading straight for a bridge that spanned a deep looking river. Where the hell did that come from? Ranma howled as the dog launched them over the side of the bridge, his hands coming loose with fur still clenched in his grasp and the boy hit the cold water, his arms flailing helplessly as he was sucked under the surface. Am I still dreaming, he wondered, the water going dark around him.

* * *

Ranma found himself running across a wide courtyard, deep gray stones surrounded him on all sides and the sky was a brilliant clear shade of perfect blue. His breath came hard and fast in his throat as he ran, hoping to outpace his cousins. Their longer legs gave them a decided advantage, but no one would ever accuse this hanyou of being slow. They'd catch up with him eventually, and he was almost certain he deserved the beating he was going to receive. Could he help it if he thought it would be funny to douse his cousin that morning? So what if the water had just been used to wash down the stable floors, no one was going to die, Sho-kun was overreacting as usual. And he's not going to catch me today, Ranma thought, grinning as he spotted the outer courtyard gate beginning to open. He could hide all day in the orchards, even Sho-kun wouldn't find him in the branches of the tall apple trees.  
  
The gate opened as the hanyou boy sped past, he was busy watching to make sure his angry cousin didn't catch sight of him. Wouldn't do to ruin the escape plan. As he was so busy making sure that he wasn't followed, he managed to forget to look where he was going and ran smack into Ari-san's legs and bounced hard onto the ground and whacked his head against the unforgiving stone.  
  
Ranma saw stars dancing before his eyes and a pair of hands reached down to set him back on his wobbling legs. Ari-san brushed him off, the bodyguard's dark face crinkled in amusement. "Naota, you are going to kill yourself if you don't start looking where you're going."  
  
"Uh," Ranma said thickly, wondering why his tongue didn't work. He'd bitten it rather hard when he went down. His eyes focused on the man walking up behind the bodyguard. The Daimyo himself.  
  
"Uncle!" he shrieked joyfully, launching himself at the armor clad figure. His uncle laughed loudly at the enthusiastic greeting and tossed his young nephew high in the air. Ranma giggled wildly, throwing his arms around the Daimyo's neck in a hug. He adored, no, he worshipped his uncle. "You were gone so long!"  
  
The Daimyo's golden eyes lit up with affection. "Not so long, Naota. What mischief have you been up to this time? Not harassing your cousin again, I hope."  
  
Ranma blinked at him. "Who me?" he said with the flawlessly innocent expression he'd mastered before he could even talk. The Daimyo chuckled, amused again by his nephew's ability to charm or joke his way out of any situation. "What am I going to do with you, Naota?"  
  
Ranma hugged his uncle again, feeling the wisps of the man's long white hair against his face. Who the hell is Naota, he thought suddenly, feeling his body go cold and stiff. He fell, through a long darkness, he was falling suddenly. He screamed for his uncle to save him, but the youkai lord was long since gone.

* * *

A heavy blow caught Ranma full in the face and sent him flying painfully against a table. He pulled himself up, tasting blood in his mouth only to be hit again even before he could focus his eyes. This time the boy fell hard on the floor, his cheek pressed against the cold stone. Maybe this will be the time he kills me, Ranma thought wearily. It would so good not to hurt anymore.  
  
A sharp kick to the ribs caught him by surprise and stole the breath out of his body. "Get up," the harsh, demanding voice said. "You weak piece of shit, I'll have no son of mine cowering like a beast on the floor." Ranma winced, unable to move, he was so, so scared. If he got up, the demon would just crush him again. If he lay still, he might just get bored and leave him for dead. It was the best he could hope for under the circumstances.  
  
"Father, stop it! You're going to kill him!" A new voice invaded Ranma's fading consciousness. No, Inu, he thought, desperately trying to push himself up. His brother was standing over him, facing down the monster that had sired them both. Ranma weakly opened his swollen eyes to watch as his father grabbed his older brother by the hair, twisting it brutally. Inu wouldn't cry out, you could tear his skin off, you could set him on fire, his brother didn't know how to relent, not even to save his own life.  
  
Father's voice was hard and deadly, mocking and horrible. Ranma flinched, just the sound of his father's laugh was enough to make him cringe inside. "Protecting your brother again? Sickening, haven't I taught you not to feel pity yet?"  
  
Inu stared at his father, the brutal demon loved nothing as much as torturing his own sons. "You want to hurt someone, hurt me," the boy ground out, his young voice hoarse and thick with hate. "I'm stronger than Inoki, you can hurt me a lot more before my body gives out. Go on, you bastard. I want you to do it. Hurt me!"  
  
Their father swore and Ranma felt hot tears leak out of his eyes at what his brother was trying to do. Father saw them and sneered at him. "Crying now, you useless half-breed? I regret the day I ever laid my seed in either one of your whore mothers. I should have twisted your heads off when you were born. Watch me, little Inoki, while your big brother takes the beating for you once again."  
  
His heavy fist smashed down on Inu's defenseless face, blood poured from his brother's nose and splattered him. The demon lord held the boy by his hair as he hammered him over and over, beating him savagely even after the boy had already lost consciousness. Ranma felt hatred welling up in his body and crying incoherently he flung himself at the monster even though he knew he was going to die, at least he and Inu could die together and be free of the bastard at last.

* * *

"No! Stop it, father, don't kill my brother!" Ranma sobbed and thrashed, held in the iron grip of his dream. Akane's face was white as sheet, she was gnawing her fingernails off. Miroku looked at her, his face tense and sweating as he sat on Ranma's legs, trying to keep the unconscious demon from hurting himself. "Talk to him, Akane," the monk urged. "He seems to hear your voice sometimes."  
  
She bent over Ranma's face, her heart shaking inside her chest. His face was slick with sweat and his hair was matted. "Ranma," she said loudly, right in his face. "Ranma, wake up!" She looked up and met Inuyasha's eyes. "He doesn't hear me."  
  
Inuyasha was trying to keep the damn fool pinned down but it was getting difficult. He sat on Ranma's chest, his hands pinning the demon's shoulders to the ground. Ranma lurched and snarled and he slammed the youkai down again. It had been almost two hours since the punk collapsed and the screaming was going to bring every predator in the forest. "He's getting weaker, but so am I. I don't know how much longer we can keep him down. What's he screaming about his brother for?"  
  
Akane groaned and covered her face. "He doesn't have a brother."  
  
"Great," the hanyou muttered. He leaned over Ranma's face. "Wake up, you stupid FUCK!"  
  
Kagome was boiling herbs in a small metal pot. She hoped they'd steeped long enough. It was all she could think of to try. Kaede gave her this herbal recipe months ago. She said it would quiet disturbed minds and that description fit Ranma very well. He was out of his mind, screaming, hallucinating and thrashing wildly. Foam dribbled from his mouth and it had a bloody tinge. Any more of this and she thought he might chew his own tongue off. "It's ready," she called out, burning her fingers on the pot when she grabbed it.  
  
Sango knelt down next to Akane and tried to unlock the demon's jaws. She had to be careful because she'd really rather not lose her fingers at this point. Miroku and Inuyasha had enough to do just keeping Ranma still. Akane put her hands on either side of Ranma's face and whispered something intelligible. Sango tried to not pay attention to whatever private prayers the girl wanted to offer, concentrating on the grim task of keeping her hands away from the demon's fangs long enough to pry his mouth open. Kagome got the small container as close to the young youkai's lips as she could and dumped the steaming contents inside.  
  
"Shit, he's choking," Inuyasha cursed. He flipped the youkai onto his stomach and found it was easier to control him. Shoulda done this earlier, he had bite marks on his fingers from trying to help and if he hadn't been scared half shitless by the stupid punk's wild fit, he'd have happily smacked the living hell out of him. Ranma gagged messily, herbs bubbling out of his mouth. His muscles unlocked bit by bit and Miroku cautiously released his feet. "Is it working?"  
  
"Fuck if I know," Inuyasha muttered. They all kept looking at him like he was some kind of expert. He did not have fits. Temper tantrums, yes. Wild angry rages, yes. He did not drop to the ground for no apparent reason and start foaming at the mouth and screaming from some uncontrollable nightmare. What he wasn't about to tell any of the humans was that he could sense Ranma's youki building to a feverish pitch inside the punk's body. The power he felt coursing under his hands was unreal. There was still something holding it back, maybe even sealing it. Damned if he knew what it was or what it meant, but if that seal broke, they were going to have a full blown monster on their hands.  
  
Ranma's breathing grew deep and even, he even started to snore a bit. Cautiously, he let up on the pressure and was relieved that Ranma didn't start thrashing and bucking wildly again. Akane edged closer so she could take Ranma's head in her lap, stroking back the sweaty dark hair that clung to his face. She kissed his forehead and murmured softly. "Hold on, Ranma. I'm here, come back to me."  
  
The girl whispered it over and over, hoping some part of Ranma could hear her voice.  
  
I love you.  
  
Ranma heard those words from across a deep distance. His body was aching, the pain was dragging him back to himself.  
  
I love you.  
  
Akane, he tried to call for her, but she was lost in the darkness. He wandered aimlessly, his hands held blindly in front of him. Where am I, he thought, panic starting to rise in his chest. His mind was full of memories, none of them his own. Ranma felt lost, drowning in unfamiliar visions. He fell on his knees in the darkness, unable to fight any longer.  
  
"I'm not sending you away because I don't care about you."  
  
Ranma's head came up. He knew that voice. Desperately, he projected his mind to follow that thread of memory. That voice was soothing, comforting. In a tiny corner of his mind, he could see it now. A teenage boy with long black hair was standing, staring at his feet with a sullen, unhappy expression. Ranma edged closer, trying to get a better look at the boy's face. Something about the set of his shoulders, stubborn and angry, was so familiar.  
  
The boy looked up, his cheeks were flushed. "Why, Uncle? Why do you want to send me away?"  
  
Ranma watched as a tall man came into focus, imposing, authoritive. The man laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, his eyes were kind as he regarded his nephew. "I'm sending you away for your own good, Naota. You'll never have a life of your own if you stay here. You need to be with people who are more like you."  
  
"Humans?" the boy asked bitterly. "I'm not human, I'm hanyou."  
  
The Daimyo smiled. "I know that. You're my brother's only son, I owe it to him not to let you suffer the same kind of fate he did. You're not a child anymore, Naota. The demon blood you carry will sooner or later start to tear you apart. If I don't seal it, you'll lose your mind, your soul, and eventually you'll be destroyed by the youki inside you."  
  
Ranma watched as the young man turned away, his face burning shamefully. "You're saying I can't control it. That I'm weak like a human so I should go live with them. That's what Sesshomaru has always said too."  
  
"This has nothing to do with Sessh," the Daimyo said sternly. "I want a better life for you and the family you will someday have. You can't have this if you live among youkai. Humans will accept you, you don't look like a demon and you don't think like one. You never did, Naota. My decision is final."  
  
Naota bowed his head, sighing heavily. "Yes, my lord Daimyo."  
  
Ranma? Come back to me, Ranma. Please fight it!"  
  
Her voice was dragging him back again. Ranma let the memory go, watching it spin away in a storm of colors and light. Akane, he thought, following her voice.  
  
Come back to me!  
  
I love you.  
  
He smiled, feeling his body returning and the darkness receding. He knew who he was now. I love you too, Akane.  
  
**A/N: Also, if anyone is confused by who the people in Ranma's dreams are, check out the side stories, The Daimyo Inutaisho and the Daimyo's Son. And please review, I love getting them! **


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry I haven't been updating this one. But it's not dead yet! My other fics have been taking over my life. Is anyone still reading this? If so, sound off! I'll try to update more often. -W

* * *

"It's...it's just so sad."  
  
The monk bowed his head. "I agree. He was so young."  
  
"I warned him, I warned him to be careful!"  
  
Kagome covered her face, fighting back the horror that wanted to engulf her. "I just never thought it would end this way. So much pain, no one should suffer like that."  
  
Miroku tried to comfort the distraught girl. "I know, Kagome. It is indeed a pity. You shouldn't blame yourself for bringing Ranma and Akane here. Your intentions were noble. He knew the risks he was taking."  
  
Shippo looked like he wanted to start crying. "I've, I've never seen anyone die like that, the screams were so horrible."  
  
Sango reached over to take Kagome's other arm. "We can't just let him lay there. He was our friend. He deserves a proper burial."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes opened suddenly. "Bitch," he growled. "I'm not dead yet! I just WISH I was."  
  
Ranma snorted and kicked at the hanyou's prone form. "Next time I tell you not to eat Akane's cooking, you listen to me. Dumbass."  
  
Akane wailed. "I didn't mean to do it, I swear I thought it was mayonnaise!"

* * *

"This had better be the right fucking village already!"  
  
Myoga flinched at the tone of Inuyasha's voice. "I think it is, it's been many years since I've been here, but it does look like the right place."  
  
"You said the same thing three villages ago." The hanyou sounded disgusted, ready to fling the flea demon into the deep river. "Admit it, you don't have the slightest fucking idea where that village is and you're just sending us up and down this fucking river for the fun of it, hoping you'll get lucky."  
  
The flea looked hurt. "I would never so deceive you, Inuyasha-sama. Hatsinji does live in a village on the bank of this river and he does have a boat that can take us north. At least, he used to."  
  
"What?" Inuyasha shouted angrily. "If I came all this way for nothing I'm going to tear your..."  
  
Kagome threw down her pack and turned around. "Stop it, Inuyasha! Screaming at Myoga isn't going to help."  
  
He squeezed the flea meaningfully. "It makes me feel better." The flea was turning purple between his claws.  
  
A smaller hand slapped his and he glared at Akane. The girl's eyes were sparkling with irritation. "Let him go, you're such a damn bully!"  
  
"Thank you, sweet maiden," Myoga blubbered, jumping onto her shoulder as the disgusted half-demon finally let go. "You are indeed a kind and merciful young lady to have pity on such a poor, misused old flea like myself."  
  
She blinked at him. "You're very welcome, flea-jijii. I can't stand seeing anyone pick on the weak and..." The girl's eyes went wide as the flea demon drove his sticker into her neck, slurping greedily at the sweet, hot blood. She slapped him and he fluttered helplessly to the ground. Akane glared at him and tossed her hair. "See if I ever help you again, you bloodsucking pervert!"  
  
Miroku chuckled. "He's not perverted, Akane. I assure you that Myoga is only doing what comes natural. There's no perversion about it." She shot him a filthy look, keeping her person well out of the monk's reach. "I guess you WOULD be the expert on perversions."  
  
He bowed to her. "Thank you, Akane Tendo. You are most perceptive." The monk grinned suddenly and Sango let out an outraged shriek. "Hentai fucking bastard!"  
  
Ranma watched as the exterminator proceeded to chase Miroku to beat the hell out of the monk once again. "You know, guys, we really should get down to that village before dark. If it's not the right place, maybe they have somewhere for us to sleep tonight."  
  
Kagome sighed. "I'm so tired of sleeping on the ground. My rear end must be black and blue from all the rocks."  
  
"Want me to look?"  
  
"Stay away from me, Miroku!"  
  
"Would all of you just shut up?" Inuyasha roared. He glared at his traveling companions. Shippo yawned lightly and jumped onto the hanyou's shoulder. "You're the loudest one here, why do we have to shut up?"  
  
"Because I said so," he snapped, flinging the fox away from him. Somewhat disgruntled, and in Miroku's case, bruised, the party of unhappy companions proceeded to the small fishing village. The tension between them had been steadily increasing over the past couple of days and Akane found herself wishing that they could just go home and everything would be the same again.  
  
She was trying, trying very hard, not to dwell on what had happened between her and Ranma. It seemed like the only thing she could think of these days and she desperately wanted to know what was going through his mind. Funny how a couple of passionate kisses could turn a girl's knees to rubber when she thought about them. She and Ranma hadn't exactly had a chance to talk about it either. His fit had absorbed everyone's attention and they hadn't been alone together since.  
  
Is he avoiding me? she wondered, shooting him a quick glance at him out the corner of her eye. Ranma's face was composed as he walked along, his braid bouncing merrily across his back and a look of serene contentment on his features. She knew that had to be fake, Ranma never looked serene or content. How much farther would we have gone, Akane thought to herself, a little blush warming her cheeks. She would have gone farther, she knew it and that thought made her blush harder. She would have done whatever he asked, whatever he wanted right then and there. It embarrassed her, she wondered if it embarrassed him. Did he think less of her because she'd wanted to, because she'd kissed him back so hard, not fought him when he put his hand under her clothes and stroked her body? She shivered, remembering the light touch of his claws against her breast.  
  
Ranma didn't let his feelings show, but his nose told him that Akane was thinking about something. He was getting pretty good at reading her scent and a dull flush crept over his ears. Hell, he wasn't sorry about what had happened between them, when no one was looking it brought a silly grin to his face that he would be hard pressed to explain away. She loved him, he knew it and the thought made Ranma want to skip around inside. It was himself he was having problems with. Akane was a special, wonderful, amazing girl. For all the times they'd fought and she'd clobbered him, it didn't change the fact that he'd finally realized what a lucky son of a bitch he really was. The fact that she loved him and he knew he loved her back only complicated their lives at the moment.  
  
How could he trust himself to be alone with her now? He was youkai, he knew the fact as he hadn't accepted it before. His body was changed and damn it, he didn't know if it was going to change back. The instincts that had filled him when he'd held Akane scared the living bejeezus out of him. Holding her soft body pressed hard up against that tree, her mouth hungry on his with his blood pounding in his veins. It was scary, thrilling, addictive and he couldn't trust he'd be able to protect her from himself. He didn't know how he was ever going to explain that either. Akane was too precious to him, she didn't deserve to be ravished by a wild demon in the forest, even if she seemed completely willing and eager for it. He had to protect her, didn't he? Ranma knew that nothing would have stopped him if they'd gone one step farther. It was embarrassing to be grateful to a snake monster for interrupting him before he was able to defile the girl he loved. He wasn't himself anymore, he was a demon. What a fucking mess.

* * *

"Hatsinji?" the young woman asked, looking up at the strange group curiously. "Yes, I know him. Why are you looking for him?"  
  
Miroku smiled at the girl, radiating charm. She was quite cute, after all. "Never fear, dear lady. We only want to hire his services. We understand Hatsinji to have a boat that might take us up river."  
  
She looked the charming monk up and down, a doubtful expression evident on her young face. "Are you sure you have the right village?"  
  
"We'd better," Inuyasha said under his breath. Kagome poked him in the back. "Don't scare her," she hissed.  
  
The young woman didn't seem at all perturbed to be addressing a demon or two. "Oh, all right then," she said at last. "I'll take you to him, if he owes you money or anything I'm afraid you're out of luck. He owes everybody money."  
  
The girl led them through the small fishing village, whistling unconcernedly to herself. Occasionally, one of the women or young people doing work outside the homes would wave and shout a greeting to her and she would casually return their greetings. Kagome found it strange how none of the villagers seemed overly upset at the sight of them. Usually, the peasants of the area seemed a little more skittish when confronted with two obvious youkai like Ranma and Inuyasha.  
  
At the far end of the village there was a dismal looking little hut. The girl grinned at them. "This is where he lives, I don't know if he'll be able to help you. He's probably crawled into a sake jar and is fast asleep." She banged on the side of the hut. "Grandfather! Wake up, you have visitors!"  
  
"Hmmmmm," a voice mumbled at them from the other side of the wall. The girl shook her head, muttering something about damn drunks and left them there. "If he's not sober enough to talk to you, just throw him in the water for awhile. That usually works best."  
  
"Charming girl," Miroku said dryly, smiling faintly to himself. So their prospective transportation was a drunk, huh? No matter, it would be simpler to negotiate the fee. He rapped politely on the side of the building again using his staff. "Hatsinji-san, are you indisposed? We have a business transaction we wish to discuss."  
  
"I'm coming," a bleary voice answered. The frayed bamboo curtain suddenly pushed aside and a small, stout figure waddled out of the darkness, clutching a large sake jar in his arm. He had round yellow eyes and gray- green skin, pointed ears and...were those gills? Miroku was taken aback for a moment, he hadn't been expecting a demon to be their guide.  
  
Hatsinji peered woozily at the monk. "Whatcha want, young feller?"  
  
Before the monk could open his mouth to reply, Myoga bounced excitedly onto his shoulder. "Hatsinji! You old fish, you haven't changed a bit!"  
  
"Myoga the flea?" Hatsinji looked surprised. "You're still alive, I thought you'd died a long time ago. Where have you been?"  
  
The flea chuckled happily. "You shouldn't assume such things, I've been very busy. Hatsinji, old friend, we have come to you with a dilemma. These young folks need to reach the Western mountains and don't want to have to cross over open land. I think this river will take them as close as possible to their destination, can you help?"  
  
The river youkai scratched his head, giving off a decidedly unpleasant aroma of stale liquor and rotten fish. "North, you say? Myoga, I'm too old to take a journey like that."  
  
"Nonsense. You're fit as ever, I can tell. It won't take long and we're not asking you to wait for us."  
  
Hatsinji's eyes narrowed. "You want an old fart like me to paddle your sorry ass up river, through inuyoukai territory, while all the clans are at each other's throats? I may be old, but I'm not stupid. What kind of payment do you think I'd accept for that?"  
  
Myoga coughed delicately into his fist. "Actually, I was thinking you're going to do it for free."  
  
Miroku raised his eyebrows and shot a look back at their companions and shook his head. This was a new development, apparently the flea had been planning on bargaining for their passage for some time and not felt the necessity of cluing them in on his plan.  
  
The old fish suddenly looked a lot less drunk and a lot more dangerous. His sharp teeth glinted in the twilight. "Free? Myoga, you wretch, I've never in my life done anything for free."  
  
"Think of it as the repayment of an old debt."  
  
Hatsinji glared at them, fastening his yellow moon eyes on the flea. "I don't owe you anything and you know it!"  
  
Myoga sighed, he'd hoped to not have to resort to this. "Recollect, Hatsinji. Over a hundred years ago, you were gambling with some strange youkai and you lost. You lost rather badly and couldn't pay up. Your companions were not amused and decided that you were going to pay them by providing a delicious dinner...and you got to be the dinner."  
  
The old fish frowned. "I had almost forgotten all about that night. Strange fellows they were, bad tempered too. Weren't even going to be decent demons and kill me before they grilled me. I thought I was done for sure then one of them relented and bullied the others into letting me go. Laughed he did, and said I'd owe him a favor." He glared at the flea. "Where did you hear that story?"  
  
Myoga puffed himself up importantly. "From the man who spared your life, of course. See that white-haired fellow standing behind me? He's his son. You are honor bound to fulfill your debt to his father."  
  
"Think its true?" Ranma muttered for Inuyasha's ears only.  
  
The hanyou shrugged. "You got me." Hatsinji put down his sake jar and wandered up to him, staring into his face. Inuyasha scowled.  
  
"Yep, you're his kid all right. You look just like him." Hatsinji sighed, it looked like this was going to be an unpleasant adventure. "Come on in, make yourselves comfortable. We'll leave as soon as it's full dark out. I think we'll have a better chance if we make this journey at night."  
  
Myoga looked suspicious. "Are you sure about that?" Hatsinji shot him a black look and picked up his jar to take a long, healthy swallow. "I suppose. Why wait? Tonight's as good a time as any."  
  
Inuyasha grabbed Myoga before the flea could hop off into Hatsinji's hut. "Did it really happen like that? Doesn't sound like any of the stories I've heard about the old man."  
  
"It happened something like that," Myoga said mildly. "Actually, I didn't hear the story from your father, I heard it from one of his bodyguards. The lord Inutaisho was blind drunk that night and apparently that had much to do with his merciful moment. Seems he was so sick off drinking too much rice whisky that the very smell of a smoldering river demon would have made him lose whatever self control he still possessed. Hatsinji had the sense to run for it when the lord freed him, otherwise I'm sure he would have been breakfast the next day."

* * *

The sound of water slapping against the side of the boat was making him sleepy. Ranma rolled over and tried to relax as the gently swaying craft rocked him. He was almost asleep when the sound of a thump and the crack of a hand on bare flesh.  
  
"Damn it, Sango! It wasn't me!"  
  
"Somebody just brushed up against me, don't tell me it wasn't you."  
  
"I'm way the hell over here, I don't have ten foot long arms!"  
  
Ranma sighed, a grin pulling on his mouth. He heard a distinctly kitsune sounding chuckle from somewhere around his ankles and sat up to grab the bushy tail. "That wasn't very nice, Shippo."  
  
The fox wriggled free of his grasp, making for the other side of the boat where Kagome was already fast asleep. "What's nice got to do with it?"  
  
Ranma yawned, tired as he was, he doubted if he'd get any sleep. He felt just a little nervous for some reason, restless. At the bow of the boat he could see Inuyasha still sitting up. As it looked like the hanyou was the only one of their group that was going to refuse sleep, he thought he might as well make conversation.  
  
Inuyasha ignored Ranma when he sat down beside him, turning instead to glower at their pilot. "Can't this fucking thing move any faster?"  
  
Hatsinji sighed as it was at least the fourth time the half-demon had asked him that. "Not if you want to keep afloat, young dog-demon. Just enjoy the ride, you'll be there soon enough."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Hatsinji snorted and looked to the flea that was riding on his shoulder. "Sour feller, isn't he? At least his father had a sense of humor. I still remember the jokes he was telling that night. I tell you, it was enough to make a demon blush."  
  
Myoga yawned. It had been a long and tiring day, even for a flea that was accustomed to riding on the bodies of his companions. "Lord Inutaisho was quite famous for that sense of humor. A trait that seems to have not passed to either of his sons."  
  
"Feh," was the hanyou's only comment. Ranma glanced over at him, wondering what had set Inuyasha in such a foul temper. Inuyasha glared back at him. "What are you staring at, punk?"  
  
"A bitchy half-demon," Ranma snapped.  
  
Inuyasha blinked at him. "You should watch who you're calling a bitch, I'm not the freak here."  
  
"Oh get over it, don't tell me that's the first time you ever saw a pair of tits."  
  
Inuyasha snorted and leaned back on his elbows. "Maybe that old hag we're going to see can cure you of that one too. You could get lucky, she might be having some kind of special on curses."  
  
Ranma scratched his head. "Thanks for the idea. As long as we're there, maybe she can do something about your personality."  
  
To his surprise, Inuyasha let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Hey, can't hurt to ask. Don't get your hopes up though." The hanyou looked over at him, golden eyes shining in the dark. "What are you going to do if the old woman can't help you?"  
  
Ranma looked away, his gaze falling on the dark water. "I don't know, I guess I'm going to have to stay away from home. I have to be able to control this youki inside of me or I don't dare go back. I don't want to hurt my family."  
  
"At least you have one. You've met what I got stuck with for a brother."  
  
The young youkai shook his head. "I guess I can't complain then. Why does your brother hate you so much?"  
  
Inuyasha spat at the water. "Because he's a prick. Didn't like my mother being human. I guess I just offended him by staying alive." He looked thoughtfully at Ranma. "You know, you were yelling something about a brother when you had that fit a couple days ago."  
  
Ranma glared at him. "I told you I don't remember anything about it and I don't have a brother."  
  
"Bullshit. You got to remember something. I understand if you don't want to talk about it in front of Akane and the others but if you're planning on freaking out like that again, I'm going to drop you in the river."  
  
Ranma scowled at him. "I don't remember what happened. I just remember a couple names but they don't mean anything to me. Something about someone named Naota and some mean old bastard that liked to beat up on his kids. Does that make any sense to you?"  
  
"No, but I'm used to you not making any sense."  
  
He grinned. "I'm used to it myself. Sango says this old lady taught her village everything they knew about demon magic and youki. I wonder if she's even still alive. This could be a wild goose chase."  
  
Inuyasha frowned. "Huh?"  
  
The youkai looked at him for a moment and shrugged. "Just an expression that means a waste of our time."  
  
"Since we're going all the way through inuyoukai territory and risking our asses, it had better not be a waste of time. In case you forgot, we've got more important things to do than look for old mountain witches. Naraku is still out there and I'm going to find him and tear his fucking head off."  
  
A small creature hiding on the edge of the boat was listening intently to the conversation between the two young demons. A light splash of water that came over the edge of the craft was a suitable distraction and cover for the buzzing of small wings. The insect had collected enough information and felt its master calling it back. 


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Okay, I seriously was considering putting Cursed on hiatus for awhile, but then I started getting reviews and emails on it again. Now I feel too guilty to not update. Goody. Let's get on with it then, I'm probably going to have to use shorter chapters tho, just to get this moving again. Oh the horror of the crossover...it never ends.**

* * *

"I've been expecting you," the old woman said softly. Ranma stared at her. The very last thing that he'd expected in his search for the old woman who might be able to help him break his curse was to find that she was youkai. "You were...expecting me?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
She smiled, her old face creased and lined. "Young demon, I may be old and too feeble to hardly leave my cave these days, but I am aware of what happens on this mountain." She stood and hobbled over to her fire, setting a pot of water to heat for tea. Ranma watched her, aware of his companions' silence. Now that he found the old woman, he hardly knew where to begin with his request. When she turned to face him once again, he managed a respectable bow. "Forgive me for disturbing you, elder. I've come a very long way hoping to find someone to help me with a problem."  
  
She smiled and Ranma realized for the first time that she was not just old and weathered, her face itself was badly scarred. "My name is Asariko, young one. I hardly see what a young youkai such as yourself might want with an old woman like myself. What kind of problem do you have?"  
  
"You name it, he's probably got it," Inuyasha muttered under his breath. His comment earned him a dark look from Kagome, who elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Ssshh!" He glared at her and edged away. It wasn't like it wasn't true.  
  
Ranma cleared his throat. In a few short sentences, he related what had happened to him, how he'd met Kagome, how the Shikon shard had somehow awoken his sleeping youkai blood. "So you see, Asariko-sama, I'm looking for a way to put myself back to normal."  
  
Inuyasha coughed suddenly and this time it was Miroku who swatted him, bopping the half-demon on the head with his staff without so much as changing expression. Ranma shot a furious look at the hanyou, who shrugged and looked away.  
  
Sango came forward then and bowed to the old woman, who looked at her with amusement. "My father told me that you had taught our village much about youkai magic. I hoped that perhaps you might have some idea of what to do for Ranma."  
  
Asariko nodded thoughtfully. "You would be a demon slayer, wouldn't you? I had heard about the purge of your village. I'm afraid a lot of what I knew about youkai magic has long since been forgotten. Since you have come so far, I will see what I can do." She made a gesture to Ranma to kneel and hobbled her way over to examine him. Her face with its weathered scars creased even further. Ranma sat quietly on his knees as the old woman's hands touched him hesitantly, her old fingers ruffling in his hair.  
  
She turned his face to hers and he met her pale blue eyes. "Such an open child you are," she murmured softly. "You have power inside you that you've not even tapped. Why would you want to deny it, deny your heritage?"  
  
"I fear I can't control it," he said quietly. Her eyes were sharp despite her years. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I've trained all my life in martial arts, special skills. I know how dangerous I could become. If there's a way to seal this back up, I'll take it. I don't want to hurt innocent people."  
  
"What makes you think you will? What makes you think you can't learn to control the youki? You seem to be a strong young demon, surely you have confidence in your own ability."  
  
Ranma sighed and looked at his hands. "It's not just that. I have some strange memories inside me, I don't know where they're coming from. They make me feel cold inside, horrified. I can see what I'm capable of, I'm scared of learning to like it."  
  
Akane leaned forward and took his hand. He blinked at her and offered the girl a small smile. It was the first time she'd touched him since what had happened between them in the woods. Ranma's fingers closed over hers and he looked back to the old woman. "Is there anything you can do for me?"  
  
With a small smile, Asariko went back to her seat next to the fire. It was still the warm season, but her old bones didn't like even the slightest hint of chill. "I am a youkai myself, I know about the darkness you fear. Such a darkness claimed the lives of my entire clan once. Years ago, we were a thriving community, a strong and vital people. Then we were attacked, slaughtered down to the last woman and child. I survived, I'm still not sure how or why, since I was hardly more than a girl at the time. I have seen the kind of death demons can deal upon each other. To reject such power simply from fear of its misuse, says much about you, young Ranma."  
  
Her pale eyes found his regretfully. "I wish I could help you. All I can sense is that your ancestor's youki was sealed off by a demon of incomparable strength. I do not have that kind of power. The seal still holds inside you. I can neither repair it or remove it."  
  
Ranma sighed, the crushing disappointment burned inside him. "I guess it was too much to hope for," he said sadly, Akane's fingers warm on his. "I'll just have to learn to live with it as best I can."  
  
"Elder, is there nothing we can do for him?" Sango asked. "My father often spoke of special wards, special talismans that would help to contain a demon's energy. I use some of them myself in battle."  
  
Miroku nodded in agreement. "And I often use spiritual wards myself, special sutras for containment and constraint. Is there a way to fashion such a protection for Ranma? If you can't seal it off completely, maybe we can find a way to contain it."  
  
Asariko scratched her chin thoughtfully. "My sister knew the making of such things, she taught me a little about how to bind energy. I'm hardly more than an apprentice compared to her, but I have saved some things over the years. When my people were destroyed, my sister had already passed on a bit of her knowledge to me. I still have some of her things, they were the only possessions I was able to keep after our clan was decimated."  
  
She stood painfully and went into the back of her cave, out of their sight behind a frayed wall hanging. Inuyasha watched the old woman's slow, deliberate moments and glanced back at Kagome. "I think we got here just in time, I doesn't look like she's going to be kicking around much longer."  
  
Kagome frowned. "Do you have to be so rude? At least she's trying to help." He raised his eyebrow at her. "Do you have to be so trusting? For all we know, she's completely senile and is going to give Ranma a dried frog to wear around his neck."  
  
"If it works, don't think I won't wear it," Ranma snapped, shooting daggers at the hanyou.  
  
"There are several uses for dried frogs," Asariko said. She reappeared and slowly moved back to her fire. "I just don't think that this is one of them. I may be old, and perhaps a little senile, young hanyou. My hearing is as sharp as ever."  
  
She held a little box out to Ranma. "My sister made this amulet before her death. She feared for her life and hoped that she could use this to protect herself. I'm sorry to say that it failed."  
  
Ranma looked at her curiously. "If it didn't save her, why do you think it would help me?"  
  
The old woman patted his knee soothingly. "My sister was forced into a marriage with a very dangerous, very powerful demon. She had hoped that if it became too much to bear, she could use this amulet to deflect his power. I will never know why, but she chose not to use it. Instead, she offered her protection to a loyal friend in order to try and warn our father against the demon lord who had betrayed him. He returned the amulet to my father, who gave it to me when he found that my sister had died."  
  
Ranma opened the box and found a small clear pendant on a pale silver chain. It was delicate, hardly the size of his thumbnail and sparkled like a cut diamond. "How do I use it?"  
  
"You simply wear it. The amulet should work to contain the wild youki within you. When you feel the youki begin to rise inside you, it will activate and should help you control yourself."  
  
Ranma slipped the necklace over his head and tucked it under his shirt. "Thank you, Asariko-sama. I truly appreciate that you have done what you could to help me. Is there any way I can repay your kindness?"  
  
She shook her head, smiling as the young people rose and stood around her. "You can repay me by staying true to yourself and fighting against the darkness inside you. I only wish I had been able to give you more. My sister would no doubt be pleased to see her art has been used for greater purpose."  
  
After they left her, Asariko pulled herself to her feet. Her arthritis had been getting steadily worse over the past few years. She was not as old as she seemed, her injuries as a child had robbed her of much of her natural healing ability. She had been forced to survive as hardly more than a mere mortal woman, and a heavily scarred and weak one too. She would never forgive that, not anymore than she would forgive the deaths of her father and clan, or the murder of her beloved sister. Asariko held a lot of ghosts close to her chest over the years, ages of pain had fermented inside her to the point where she hardly noticed the bitter tang of her existence. Her steps were as slow and limping as ever as she made her way to the back of her cave and her sleeping area. He was waiting for her, as she had known he would be.  
  
"I have done as you asked," she said quietly, ignoring his satisfied smile as she lowered herself with difficulty to her pallet.  
  
"You have done an excellent job," he murmured, coming over to stand next to the old woman. Asariko didn't look at him, she might be barely a youkai herself, but she was too experienced to let a demon puppet unnerve her in her own home. "You know how to use the amulet, now you can leave me in peace. I have no desire to look upon you."  
  
He made a soft sound of amusement. "This is how you dismiss an ally? Without me, you wouldn't have known they were coming. You wouldn't have gotten your chance for revenge."  
  
I miss you, sister, Asariko thought, her eyes closed. She had been alone for such a long time now.  
  
Naraku watched the old woman pretend to sleep. "It was a nice touch, that story about your sister. Arousing their sympathy automatically reduces their suspicion. I congratulate you."  
  
"It wasn't a story," Asariko whispered, her lips barely moving. "It was the truth. I recognized that boy's bloodline when I saw him. Him and that other one too. How could I not, when I have spent every day of nearly two hundred years thinking about it, hating him more with each passing season. You don't know what gift you have given me, Naraku. Through that amulet, I will finally have my revenge against Inutaisho."

* * *

"Feel anything yet?" Akane asked for the fifth time that night. Ranma grinned at her. "Nope. And it better stay that way."  
  
The monk leaned over him to peer at the pendant again. "I can sense no spiritual powers about that jewel. It might as well be made out of air. Do you really think you can rely on it, Ranma?"  
  
He shrugged. "What choice do I have? Either it will work or it won't. I'll find out one way or the other."  
  
"Feh, another fucking waste of our time. Now you got a rock around your neck instead of just in your head."  
  
Ranma didn't answer, his fingers fumbling over the smooth surface of the pendant. For all its shimmer, it had no sharp edges. It might have been a frozen teardrop or a smooth piece of glass. At least it didn't burn into his hand the way the shard had. "Why would she give it to me if it didn't work? You just have to think the worst about everyone, don't you?"  
  
Inuyasha looked up at the sky with a smirk. "I've learned to. I bet she was just a dried up old bat who didn't have anything better to do? Maybe she just wanted the smell of you out of her cave."  
  
"Would you just quit sniping at each other," Kagome said finally, glaring at the two demons. She had Shippo in her lap and was brushing the kitsune's hair. The fox was folded over in a state of half-conscious bliss. "Yeah, you're both so annoying," he said, stretching across the girl's lap.  
  
He flinched at the hanyou's irritable gaze. "Who cares what you think, runt? You don't even have enough brains to be scared that we're this deep in inuyoukai territory, do you? You should be trying to sense danger instead of slobbering all over Kagome's lap."  
  
"You're just jealous that she doesn't brush your hair too," Shippo said archly, a little grin spreading over his face. Inuyasha flushed. "I never asked her to, brat!" Damned if he'd let anyone groom him like a pet. Shippo was just too lazy to take care of his own pelt.  
  
Akane got to her feet and started laying out her bedroll. "That's it, I can't take anymore. I think we're all a little overtired and that's what's putting everyone on edge. I'm going to sleep."  
  
Ranma snorted. He knew when Akane took that tone she meant business. "I think sleep sounds like a good idea." He could worry about the pendant tomorrow. There had to be some way to test it to see if it was working, maybe he just had to get really pissed off and try to beat on Inuyasha. That should bring out his youki and it would probably even be fun.  
  
Inuyasha noticed the direction of Ranma's gaze and scowled. "Quit looking at me, you damn punk. I'll cram that stupid necklace up your ass if you don't knock it off."  
  
He grinned back at the bad tempered hanyou. He felt no anger rising inside him at Inuyasha's words. "Maybe tomorrow." Could the pendant be working already? He hoped so, settling down to lay comfortably near Akane. He yawned, he had to admit he was a little tired. The day had been somewhat stressful after all. He just needed a nap really, as long as he didn't dream about anything more weird than usual.

* * *

His eyes came open suddenly, sensing someone moving below him. Inuyasha cautiously turned his head to the side, he didn't want to alert any possible predators that he was awake and on the job. At least not until he was ready to jump down and hack them into bits. He could pick out Kagome's sleeping form in the dying light of the fire. She looked peaceful, her chin pillowed on the top of Shippo's fluffy head. He didn't see anything that would have alerted him and wondered vaguely if he really was as paranoid as Kagome liked to say.  
  
Bah, he thought, casting his gaze around the edges of the darkened forest. Someone had to be alert, someone had to protect the group. It sure as hell wasn't going to be Ranma, not with the whiny punk doing everything he could to suppress his natural abilities. That made Inuyasha sick. Not that he couldn't identify with the young demon's fear of losing control, he had enough experience in that area himself. He reached down to lay his fingers on Tetsusaiga's hilt and was comforted by its familiar touch. Still, to try and seal off everything that made him stronger and faster, kill off the part of him that let him protect Kagome from evil bastards like Naraku? He'd rather cut off his thumbs.  
  
He sensed movement again and this time Inuyasha sat up, glaring down at the campsite and searching for the source of whatever was prickling his instincts. That's when he noticed that Ranma wasn't in his bedroll. Inuyasha scratched his head, wondering if the youkai was just out in the woods taking a crap. No, something else was bothering him, making his nerves edgy and tense. Maybe Ranma felt it too, that was why he was gone. Inuyasha scowled. No way was he letting that punk get the jump on him. If there was asskicking to be handed out, he was going to do it. He wasn't going to let Ranma have all the fun anyway.  
  
Silent as a shadow against the moonlight, the hanyou jumped down to the forest floor, searching for Ranma's familiar scent. Punk couldn't have gone too far, his trail was fresh and completely unobscured. Didn't the damn fool know how to do anything right? Swearing softly under his breath, Inuyasha tracked him. Not far away at all.  
  
Ranma was standing in the forest, his face blank and staring. Inuyasha was about to rush up and bop him in the head, but he skidded to a halt. The punk had a funny look to him and Inuyasha's instincts were screaming that it was a trap. "Ranma," he said harshly. "What the fuck are you doing out here?"  
  
Ranma turned around, a blissfully happy smile on his face. "Inuyasha, did you hear it too?"  
  
Hear what? Inuyasha's ears twitched but all he could hear was the ordinary sounds of a forest at night. A rabbit here, a bird there. "No, I don't hear a damn thing. You spooking out on me again?"  
  
Ranma smiled and Inuyasha really began to feel uneasy. "It's beautiful," the young demon said. "I never knew it could be like that. It's like everything that ever went wrong is now right. Don't you think that it feels right?"  
  
"You're talking shit," the hanyou ground out, approaching him. A swift kick ought to clear that beatific expression off the punk's stupid face. He noticed that Ranma was holding his hand cupped against his chest. "What do you have there?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"Everything I ever wanted." His hand moved slightly and Inuyasha saw a faint glimmer of light between the demon's fingers. The light was swelling and Inuyasha thought he heard something, faint but growing stronger. He concentrated on it, forgetting about Ranma for a moment. It sounded like...  
  
His hands dropped to his sides, his face going slack. Oh yes, it was certainly beautiful. Inuyasha smiled, his eyes unfocusing as the light wanted to fill him up with happiness. Everything he'd ever wanted or wished for, it was all right here. He could forget about everything that had ever caused him pain, everything he'd ever regretted or wished hadn't happened. It didn't matter anymore. He forgot about Kagome, he forgot about Ranma. It was going to be so beautiful. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Yet another A/N: Someone emailed me this question and I thought I'd answer it. Yes, all my stories are interconnected. What happens in Daimyo Inutaisho and Daimyo's Son has everything to do with what happens in Cursed. If you haven't figured out who Ranma's demon ancestors are...(grins). What happens in Daimyo's Son (and the next story after it) has a lot to do with what happens in Youkai, particularly between Kohaku and Sesshomaru. It's not really clear now, but it will be.**

* * *

"I don't understand, where could they have gone?" Akane twisted her hands together, she had a really bad feeling about this. She'd woken that morning to find that Ranma had disappeared without a word to her. That itself was disturbing, but Inuyasha was also missing. Now they found themselves inside inuyoukai territory and no idea where to look for their own pair of strayed dog-demons.

Kagome chewed on her lower lip, also feeling uneasy and no small amount of put out. Inuyasha might have a tendency to disappear now and then when he was in a moody snit, but he'd have never left without telling them. Not right now. Everything about their situation felt wrong. "I think we should go look for them."

"Where?" Miroku asked simply. Sango sat down next to Kagome and put a reassuring hand on the girl's arm. "We tried to track them already. Kirara lost the scent almost as soon as she found it. It was like they just vanished from that spot." The exterminator and her neko-youkai had returned only a few minutes earlier, disturbed by what they hadn't found.

Miroku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe Asariko-sama can help. We should return to her cave and see if perhaps Ranma and Inuyasha went back there for some reason." Akane and Kagome exchanged hopeful looks, it sounded like a good idea.

Sango sighed, hating to be the one to break the news. "I already tried. When I couldn't find a trace of them in the forest, we went straight to that mountain. I couldn't find the cave. It's like she never even existed."

"Maybe you had the wrong mountain," Kagome started to say. Her voice trailed off at Sango's expression. "No, I know where I went. There was no trace of that cave or the old woman."

She looked over at Miroku. "I have a really bad feeling about that." The monk frowned. "You think maybe we were set up?"

Sango nodded. "Why else would Asariko have disappeared? Maybe that amulet has something to do with Ranma and Inuyasha taking off. If Ranma couldn't control himself, he would have tried to get as far from us as possible. Inuyasha could have either followed him or taken him away if he wasn't able to do it himself. I just don't understand why they didn't tell us."

"We will wait here for them," Miroku said quietly, looking to Akane and Kagome for confirmation. The girls nodded and Akane reached over to pull Shippo into her lap. The kitsune was soft and comforting, just like her stuffed animals at home. She felt the need to hold something right now. The fox looked up at her earnestly. "Don't worry Akane, they'll be okay. Ranma will come back and there's nothing out there that can stop Inuyasha. You'll see."

She stroked his hair and smiled at Kagome. "I sure hope so, Shippo."

* * *

Wake.

The demon's eyes remained closed, his breathing deep and even. He resisted the soft voice in his mind, unwilling to abandon the delicious lassitude that filled his body.

Wake.

A tiny snarl of anger bent the demon's lips. He was awake. He was angry to have been dragged out of the darkness. His body was starting to tingle now, pins and needles racing along his flesh. Blood flowed like wildfire in his veins, his strength was returning now. Still, he kept his body immobile, refusing to give in to the voice that was whispering so insidiously.

Get up.

You don't command me, the demon thought, rage beginning to cloud his mind. Whatever it was, whoever it was, he didn't know what he had awoken, he didn't know he was fanning the flames of his own demise with his callous, pathetic orders. I answer to no one. I am youkai.

I said, get up, demon. I have what you want.

This time he let his eyes open, slowly focusing through the fog of bleary eyelids. A figure was standing to his side, hovering over him, compelling him. He would not allow it. The demon raised his hand, moving like he hadn't used his muscles in years. The figure stepped back, but not before the demon lying on the table was able to lift a clawed finger, point with it, and send a fiery blast of pure energy right at the fluttering baboon cloak. It tore the form apart, shredding it, scorching the wall that was behind the shadowy outline. The demon smirked, pleased with destruction.

Very good. I knew you were strong. Get up now.

Hissing, the prone demon sat up, hating everything. His mind was a seething whirlpool of hatred, his eyes flicked dangerously around the room, looking for a target. He was alone. "Who are you?" he asked in a harsh voice. "Show yourself, coward."

In time, demon. Before you ask me who I am, you should ask yourself a question. Who are you?

The demon opened his mouth to retort and found he had no words. His mind was blank, a gaping darkness existed where memories should live and he couldn't recall who he was or where he had come from. Unable to answer the voice, he looked down at his clawed hands. "It doesn't matter who I am," he snarled at last. "Show yourself. Nameless or not, I will kill you just the same."

I have what you want.

The demon swung his legs off the table where he'd awoken. He was utterly naked, but he barely noticed his lack of garments. He felt strong, he felt every muscle in his body pulsing with power. He was storm, he was fire. He flung out his hand and melted the wall in front of him, his youki bursting in the small room like a lightning strike. "What do you think I want?" he hissed.

You want blood. You want death. You want the flesh of your prey in your teeth and you want to hear their screams before they die. I can give you this and much, much more. If you serve me.

"I serve no one!" the demon shouted.

The voice didn't answer and the demon smiled nastily. Whatever it was, it couldn't compel him. "Are you afraid?" he said, challenging the voice. Come on, you bastard. Show yourself. Feel my wrath.

Fear is irrelevant.

"Who the FUCK are you, then?" he raged, tearing the room apart with his bare claws. It felt good to destroy, it felt right.

I am the one who made you. I am the one who has set you free. You will serve me in time.

"I seriously fucking doubt it," the demon sneered.

Even unwilling you will serve me. Your existence already serves my needs. Yours and your brother's.

"Brother?" the demon asked suspiciously. His mind was still a blank hole, holding no memories of anything.

I made him for you. A perfect set. You will be a storm of destruction on the earth. There will be no one who can oppose you when you fight together.

"Interesting," the demon said, smiling faintly. He was starting to like this plan. "Have I got a name, you invisible bastard?"

I will call you Ranma. Before you are done, all creatures will fear your name and terror itself will be your power.

* * *

Kagura stepped into the room, sliding the door shut behind her. Now was her chance. Naraku was a fool, of all his underhanded, insane plans, this was the most insane of all. The hanyou was asleep, his long white hair flowing over the edge of the table. Staring into his slumbering face, Kagura was struck by how young the half-demon looked. Young or not, it didn't matter. When he woke and realized what had been done to him, he was going to fly into a rage. This was the best chance she'd ever have to kill him.

She whipped out her fan, her eyes glowing slightly. "Time for a little payback," she hissed. Time for a little revenge for all the humiliation she'd suffered at his hands. The time was now.

"Kagura. You should not."

She looked over her shoulder. Kanna was standing there with her empty black eyes. "Stay out of this," she ordered. "This is the best time to kill him. When Naraku comes to his senses, he'll realize I was right.

Kanna shook her white head. "Naraku said to leave him be."

Kagura gave the small demon a smile of pleasure. "I'll just tell Naraku that Inuyasha woke up on his own and attacked me. I had to defend myself, Kanna." She held the fan up, hovering over the sleeping hanyou. "Now's your time to die, half-breed."

Just as she brought the fan down in a sweep that would have taken the half-demon's head from his shoulders, his hand came up and caught her wrist. She struggled to pull free but he was like an iron vise. "Damn it!"

Inuyasha remained asleep, his face completely relaxed and at peace. Kagura couldn't free her arm, his fingers continued to tighten around her and she felt her wrist bones grinding together. "Kanna," she hissed. "Help me!"

Kanna simply turned and left the room. Kagura gasped from the pain shooting in her hand. She could feel her bones splintering and a small whimper escaped her lips. With her free hand she pounded on the hanyou's bare chest. "Let me go, damn you!"

"Kagura. Didn't I tell you not to play with him?" Naraku looked at her, a dour expression of his face. He walked slowly to her side, noting that his disobedient incarnation was almost on her knees from the pain. "I believe he has broken your wrist."

Angry, she looked up at him. "Are you going to do anything about this?" Naraku smirked. "Are you asking me for help?"

She didn't answer, grinding her teeth against the pain and feeling more bones crumbling. "Please," she whispered, hating herself for capitulating once again.

Naraku raised an eyebrow. "Please, what?"

"Please, master!"

"That's better," he smiled. He passed his hand lightly over Inuyasha's head. The half-demon's grip slackened then enough for Kagura to free her injured wrist. She cradled her arm against her chest, wincing. "Naraku, you're a fool to bring them here," she muttered, not looking at her master.

"I think they will prove very...useful," he said lightly. He favored the sleeping hanyou with a smile of pure malice. Naraku had never expected Asariko's amulet to capture both of them. His intentions had been focused on Ranma. The young demon had power and Naraku wanted that power for himself. It was also obvious the reluctant youkai feared his own strength, mistrusted its use. Simple enough problem to resolve, just remove the memories of the human soul that dwelt inside. Suppressed and constrained, that soul would start to die as Ranma's crimes grew. Then, with the assistance of Asariko's cursed pendant, the raging demon would be free to destroy and terrorize everything in his path. It was regrettable that Ranma's demon nature resisted his attempts to compel him. Regrettable, but not unexpected.

Inuyasha was unexpected. Naraku was amused that fortune had at long last placed the hanyou in his hands. He had toyed with the idea of killing him outright. Torturing him to death, maybe? He knew the half-demon's strong constitution would keep him alive for a very long time. Maybe even long enough for Naraku to vent the anger and hatred that swelled within him whenever he looked at the white haired bastard.

Naraku enjoyed the thought of Inuyasha suffering in immense, never ceasing agony. It brought a smile to his lips even. However, he was nothing if not a practical creature and he had no intention of wasting what fortunate circumstances have visited upon him. It was with great satisfaction that Naraku thought to use his enemy. Turning Inuyasha into a monster was almost as satisfying a thought as cutting him into small bloody pieces.

* * *

"We can't stay here any longer," Miroku said, facing the girls. Sango nodded in agreement. The exterminator was uneasy, they were out in the open and unprotected. It was only a matter of time before someone or something attacked. She rubbed Kirara's head lightly, the neko was also restless and anxious to move.

Akane sighed and put her head in her hands. "I guess we don't have any choice." Ranma had been gone for three whole days. Kirara hadn't been able to pick up so much as a whisper of scent from either Ranma or Inuyasha.

She looked over at Kagome, who was already slipping her pack on her shoulders. "Let's just start moving, maybe we'll find some trace of them along the way. They didn't just vanish. They've got to be out there somewhere. Maybe we'll find someone who has seen them."

Sango opened her mouth to agree with Kagome's comment when she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand straight up. "Miroku," she said in a low voice, slinging Hiraikotsu off her shoulder.

He nodded, gripping his staff with a sudden determination. "I sense it too. We're surrounded."

Kagome immediately picked up her bow and notched an arrow. "Are you sure," she asked tensely. "I don't sense anything out there."

"And what would you sense, pretty human?" A rough voice addressed her from the woods and Kagome pointed her arrow in that direction. "Show yourself!"

A youkai slipped from the trees, grinning. He was dirty with long matted hair and ragged clothes. His smile was still sharp and the blade he held looked well used. "Isn't this a pleasant sight," he said softly. "Three pretty females to be had."

Miroku scowled. "Aren't you forgetting someone?" The demon laughed. "I don't count the dead. The women will be useful to me, you on the other hand...my fangs aren't that picky about the meat they consume. At least you'll taste better than that kitsune rat at your feet."

"Who are you calling a rat?" Shippo demanded angrily. "In case you can't count, you're outnumbered. Go peacefully and we can forget this little insult."

Kagome smiled faintly at Shippo's bravery. "He has a point," she said in a mild voice. "You won't find us females an easy target."

The demon met her eyes with a certain feral glee. "Oh, I think you've frightened me now, girlie. I can't stand the idea of being ganged up on, but you'll learn to love it before I'm done with you." He put his fingers to his mouth and gave a piercing whistle.

The rustling of the trees and brush produced another dozen demons, all wearing matching smiles and laughing. Kagome's aim never wavered, she kept the tip of her arrow pointing right at the first demon's throat. She felt a sudden anger flooding her body. She was tired, sick and tired, of being leered at by smelly demons. "Don't say I didn't warn you," she muttered. "Miroku, Sango, are you ready?"

The monk grinned. "We can take them, Kagome. It might get a little messy, but I don't think Sango and Kirara have had enough exercise lately anyway. Akane, you stay back."

She glared at him. "I'm not defenseless, you know."

The youkai gave them a sour look. "Are you going to fight or not? I'm in a good mood, if you three girls just lay down now, I'll let the monk and the rat go. Not that I'm feeling merciful, I just think it would be a shame to spoil all that nice soft skin with fighting."

"Eat shit," Kagome said roughly. She had definitely been spending too much time listening to Inuyasha. Right now she really missed him, he would have so much fun making these losers run for their lives.

"We got us some feisty ones, boys," the youkai leader said, turning around to grin at his comrades. "Now make sure you don't damage them too much, this one here is all mine." He stepped forward, a bloody smile on his face and raised his sword as Kagome pulled back on her bow.

An arrow suddenly went into his neck and dropped him to the ground. Kagome stared. It wasn't her arrow, she still held her bow notched and ready. Around them, three more youkai dropped to the ground, similar arrows imbedded in their necks and chests. "What the hell is going on here?" The remaining demons turned and fled for their lives and Kagome heard the sounds of more arrows winging and the groans as bodies hit the dirt. Sango and Miroku exchanged tense looks, the unnecessary rescue was not unwelcome, but they were too experienced to guess that their rescuers might be any more preferred.

"Filthy, stinking mercenaries." Kagome started at the sound of a light, feminine voice, letting her bow drop in surprise. A girl slipped from the forest, long reddish hair held back in a single neat braid. She was dressed head to toe in black leather armor and carried a sharp looking sword at her hip. She kicked the nearest body, scowling fiercely. "That's what you get for crossing this territory, scum."

The girl's light brown eyes roamed over the humans, a distinctly unimpressed cast to her mouth. "Kaho, Hiroshi," she called out, frowning. "These ones are human, not part of that lot." Two taller men slipped out of the forest then, wearing identical armor to that of the petite girl. She gestured at her companions with an air of command. The two men immediately slung their bows around and pointed arrows at Miroku and Sango.

The girl grinned at their surprised expressions. "Nothing personal," she said, drawing her katana. "I'm under orders from my lord to dispatch any trespassers in his territory. We've been tracking these scum for the better part of the past two days. My thanks for distracting them long enough for us to find them."

"This is thanks?" Kagome asked. She wished she'd never dropped her bow. She looked into the girl's eyes and knew that her blade would be buried in her throat if she so much as twitched toward her arrows.

The girl blinked at her, smiling in a decidedly unpleasant way. "I don't care much for humans myself. I thought at first you might be villagers that strayed from the road, but I can see that you're too well armed to be local. That makes you trespassers. My lord doesn't like humans or trespassers on the best of days."

"So you're just going to kill us?" Akane burst out. "We didn't even know we were trespassing!"

Miroku moved forward, placing a calming hand on Akane's shoulder. She glowered at him, but shut her mouth. "We apologize for trespassing. We understand that the dog-demon clans are in a state of war right now. You have every right to protect your territory. However, we are simple travelers, we have no wish to become involved in any kind of conflict. Surely you have the discretion to be merciful and not murder us just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

The diminutive demoness leaned on her sword, looking thoughtful. "You're a smooth tongued creature for a human. My lord does give me a certain amount of discretion in my orders. I've personally seen enough bloodshed for one day. We can escort you to the border instead. Just don't expect such tolerance again."

Miroku bowed. "Thank you for your kindness, my lady." She shot him an arch glance. "My name is Namichi and I'm a warrior and ranking member of the guard. I am not a lady or of noble blood."

One of the two youkai behind her coughed, covering his face with his fingers to hide his amusement. Namichi stared him down. "Something the matter, Kaho?"

He shook his head, grinning. "Not at all...lady Namichi." She rolled her eyes disgustedly. "I'll be sure to mention your disrespect in my report." Kaho seemed completely unthreatened. "If his lordship even accepts your report. It's not my mouth that got us assigned to patrol duty."

"My mouth is not your concern," Namichi snarled, pointing the tip of her blade at him. "Now move your ass and let's get these humans to the border before nightfall. You forget who you're talking to."

Kaho snorted and elbowed his companion. "There's that temper again. The lord was right to put you on discipline, Namichi."

She glowered at him, quite forgetting the humans for the moment. "It's not up to you to approve Sesshomaru-sama's orders."

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome said abruptly, her eyes flicking over at Miroku and Sango.

The tip of Namichi's blade came dangerously close to Kagome's neck. "That's Sesshomaru-SAMA to you, human wench. Be respectful, it's by his mercy that I'm sparing your life."

"Am I to assume that it's Sesshomaru-sama's territory we're in now?" Miroku said nervously. Namichi read his discomfort. "You know my lord?"

"We've, er, met a few times," the monk confessed. Namichi gave him a hard look and slipped her blade into its sheath. She folded her arms, aware that her companions had resumed their alert stances. "I think you'd better tell me who you are and what you're doing here."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: For those who were wondering, Cursed does take place before Youkai, by approximately six months or so I'd say. That little detail does tie certain events together.**

* * *

Namichi surveyed the humans with a slightly amused twist of her mouth. "You've got to be kidding me."

The human girl called Kagome gave her an earnest expression. "That's really what happened. Ranma was trying to find some way to control his demon side and now they're both gone."

This was an interesting situation. Restless, Namichi got to her feet and stalked around the campfire. Akane watched the demoness nervously. She seemed to be a coiled spring, waiting for the right time to snap. The other two male demons sat placidly ignoring them, but Akane could tell from the slightly tense expressions on their faces that they really didn't like being this close to humans. It was Namichi that seemed to be the one in charge, she carried herself like she was very experienced in leading others into battle. Which, Akane reflected, she probably was. The demoness turned suddenly, her long thick braid of reddish brown hair slapping against the stiff black leather of her armor. "So," she drawled. "You fools actually came all this way to find someone you'd never met before and ask them for help? How could you even think of trusting her?"

"Desperation, hope," Miroku said mildly. The short youkai glanced at him. "Desperation is not something I'd trust my life to," she said dryly. "You should have been more suspicious. I'd never trust something that offered me help in return for nothing."

"Ranma is like that," Akane said quietly. "He doesn't betray people so he'd never expect to be betrayed."

Namichi snorted. "Then he is a fool." She circled the group again, moving much like a wild creature stalking her prey. "Tell me more about this old woman. Curious how I, who know this territory better than anyone except perhaps Sesshomaru-sama or Jano, have never even heard of her."

"She was gone when I tried to return," Sango said stiffly. "Kirara and I couldn't find the cave or any trace of her habitation."

The demoness gave her an arch look, putting her hands on her hips. "Pretty puny tracking skills in my opinion. Just what I'd expect from a pack of nose-blind human wenches and a monk."

Sango glared at her. "There's nothing wrong with my tracking skills or Kirara's nose. She was gone, don't you get that? We were set up, it had to be."

Namichi smirked at the tone of Sango's voice. "No need to be so offended, exterminator," she said, sneering the word like an insult. "I'm sure you did the best you could, but you don't have the blood to really track. An inuyoukai, if that's what Ranma truly is, and a hanyou should leave some kind of trail. Why didn't you just follow it?"

The exterminator flushed. "It disappeared, we were able to track them into the forest and then they just vanished. If you think that you can do better, don't let me stop you."

"As if you could," Namichi said, her voice thick with contempt. Her eyes flicked back to Kagome. "So, the lord's little half-breed brother is in the area. How very interesting."

This time it was Kagome's face that grew an angry red. "Are you always so insulting? You wanted to know what we were doing here and how we know Sesshomaru-sama. That's the story."

"And now you're stuck here, abandoned and defenseless. That makes you my problem."

"We are not defenseless," Akane shot back, gripping her knees so tightly that her fingers seemed bloodless. "We'll find Ranma and Inuyasha wherever they are, we won't give up on them."

Namichi's eyes glittered dangerously. "You'll do what I tell you, human bitch. Right now I'm trying to decide on the best course of action for my lord's interests." She tossed her head and looked over at her two companions. "Kaho, what is your opinion now that you've heard their pathetic story?"

Kaho didn't hesitate. "Escort them to the border as we planned. If the demon and the hanyou show themselves, we'll deal with them at the time."

Namichi nodded, smiling thoughtfully at the angry looks the humans shot her. "And you, Hiroshi?"

He shrugged. "I think we should take them back with us. Sesshomaru-sama will want to question them personally." He glanced over at Kagome and Akane, distrust or dislike evident in his eyes. "If they're lying, he'll find out."

Miroku and Sango exchanged covert looks. No way were they going to go peacefully into Sesshomaru's hands. They all knew exactly what kind of demon Inuyasha's brother was and it hardly seemed likely he'd offer to help. He'd nearly murdered Ranma on sight and neither savored the idea of him using them against Inuyasha. Quietly, without drawing attention to himself, Miroku started to loosen the beads that bound his hand. He didn't want to use the wind tunnel to kill, but it might be the only way for them to get free from this trio of warlike demons.

Namichi snapped her fingers, a happy smile breaking across her face. It was startling and immediately made her look much more approachable. "I have decided," she grinned.

"Wonderful," Sango muttered. Namichi laughed sharply. "Kaho, Hiroshi, your suggestions both have merit, but I'm curious myself. I want to know what really happened to those missing fools. I want to know what game this Asariko was plotting and for what purpose. We'll take the humans with us and we'll track Ranma and Inuyasha ourselves. When we find them, we'll decide then what to do about it."

"Sesshomaru-sama won't like it," Kaho muttered.

Her smile widened, making her look like a mischievous child. "You just leave that detail to me. I've known him a long time and he trusts my judgment, and my loyalty, implicitly."

Hiroshi gave a sharp bark of a laugh. "It's just your personality that gets on his nerves." The demoness glowered at him. "Don't be such a pup, Hiroshi. You should be thanking your favorable stars that I even included you when I set out on this patrol."

He sighed and dropped his eyes. "Yes, Namichi."

A few hours later, they were walking through the forest. Sango led them to the point where Kirara had felt Ranma's scent disappear. "This is as far as I got," she said, looking worriedly back at Kagome. "Kirara scented them both until here. Then they just vanished."

"Impossible," Namichi muttered, examining the area. She caught a faint whiff of inuyoukai, but after that there was no sign. However, she felt no need to share her observations with the humans. "I suppose we can camp here tonight. It's almost full dark."

"You don't smell anything, do you?" Sango said accusingly. Namichi looked at her with a placid smile. "You humans need to rest. We can pick up their trail in the morning. What I do smell, exterminator, is that something or someone must have masked their scent at this point. They weren't careful about it before that. Even a human and a neko-youkai could follow the trail when it was that plain and open."

Sango grit her teeth. This demoness had a very annoying and condescending nature. She felt herself actively starting to dislike Namichi, despite the fact that she was trying to help them find Ranma and Inuyasha. "I hope we find them soon," she murmured to Kagome.

The girl nodded vigorously. "I think we should rest while we can," she said softly. "I don't think Namichi will give us much opportunity tomorrow." She stroked Shippo's hair. "Shippo, is something wrong? You've hardly said a word and that's not like you."

The fox demon had been staring at Namichi since he'd first seen her, sensing something familiar. Now he jumped from Kagome's arms to the ground and hesitantly approached the demoness. She glanced down at him and smiled faintly. "Something on your mind, little fox?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said softly. "I don't want to be rude, but...are you part kitsune?"

Kaho smothered a snicker and earned a dark look from his commander. Namichi's face softened slightly. "You have a good nose, little one. I am half-kitsune, but not many can tell that."

"I've never met a half-kitsune dog demon before," he said shyly. Namichi's smiled gently and actually showed a softer side to the acerbic demoness. "Nor will you probably again. It's not a common match by any means."

Kagome found herself interested in the story. "Shippo's parents were killed some time ago, I've never even seen another kitsune since we met him."

Namichi knelt down to ruffle the fox's hair. "My father was a soldier in the service of the previous lord of these lands. He died in battle and left my mother alone with me. As a kitsune, she didn't feel comfortable staying with inuyoukai although the Daimyo offered her a place. She wasn't much more comfortable with me, as I got older it was obvious I was taking after my father more than her and she sent me to live with Inutaisho-sama. I've never regretted her decision."

"You knew Inutaisho-sama?" Kagome breathed, her eyes wide. Namichi raised an eyebrow. "Of course I knew him. I grew up with Sesshomaru-sama, he's actually my cousin somewhere down the line."

Fascinated, Kagome went to sit next to the demoness, earning a somewhat startled look from the demoness. "Since I met Inuyasha, I've always been curious about his father. What was he like?"

Namichi hesitated, feeling somewhat unwilling to share personal details with a mere human. "He was tough," she said quietly. "Tough, but fair. Very strict with his son, but easier on the rest of us. He was unlike anyone else I've ever known. Very intimidating sometimes, but that was what he was." She reached back and slipped her katana from its sheath. "He gave me this blade when Sessh chose me for his personal bodyguard. I've always carried it with pride."

Kagome leaned her chin on her knees. "Wow, that doesn't sound at all like what Inuyasha said. He doesn't know anything about him, just the rumors and stories that said he was a great warlord and killed hundreds of people in battle."

"That's true also," Namichi said mildly. "He could be very bloodthirsty and ruthless, especially when he was angry. I know, I fought in battles with him and he was truly terrifying when he was in a battle-rage." She slipped her blade back in its sheath and smiled, again looking more like a young girl than a soldier. "Inutaisho-sama was different when he was at home and not fighting a battle or leading his armies. I grew up worshipping him and to a certain extent, I still do. Does that answer your questions?"

"I suppose so," Kagome said, sensing that the demoness' talkative moment was at an end. Across from her, she noticed Kaho stop and suddenly stiffen. "Namichi," he said in a warning voice.

Namichi was on her feet in a fluid movement and had her sword drawn. "I smell it too," she barked. "We've got company." She turned, scenting the wind as her two companions fell in beside her, automatically taking a stance to protect the humans. That didn't stop Sango and Miroku from preparing themselves also.

Namichi's eyes were wide, searching the gathering darkness. Something was out there, but the scent was so strange and so muddy she couldn't identify the source. "Show yourselves," she shouted, brandishing her katana aggressively.

A blast of youki took them all by surprise, sending humans and demons alike to their knees from its force. An icy wind came from nowhere and dampened their recently lit campfire. Akane clutched her arms around her, trying to stand up against the fierce gale. Dust was blowing around them in clouds and she winced as it scratched into her skin. She staggered over to Kagome and held onto the girl in an effort to keep both of them on their feet. "What's happening?" she shouted.

Kagome held onto Akane desperately. "I don't know!" She dug her fingers into Shippo's tail to keep the small fox from being blown away. She could barely see from the dust and wind, but in her heart she felt a sensation of angry menace coming closer.

Namichi growled angrily and gripped her blade tight. "Nice trick," she shouted. "Show yourselves and fight!" She turned just as another massive blast of concentrated energy hit the ground and blew a crater in the earth. She saw the humans fall to the ground and whipped her head back just as Kaho's head was suddenly liberated from his body. "Kaho!" she shouted, disbelieving what she'd seen. Namichi grabbed onto Hiroshi's arm and dragged him back as another shockwave shook the ground under their feet. "Protect the humans," she snarled. He ran back and stood in front of Akane and Kagome, Sango and Miroku were getting to their feet, their faces tense. "Stay behind me," he ordered. "I will protect you."

"How?" a soft voice said, barely audible over the wind that had torn apart the trees. Hiroshi didn't hesitate, he whirled and attacked the figure, sending Akane and Kagome crashing to the ground as he plowed past them. He didn't mean to do it, but his swing went wide and cracked both girls hard with the flat of his blade. Kagome whimpered and tried to protect Akane, covering the unconscious girl with her own body. "Bastard," Hiroshi shouted, his eyes angry.

The dark figure flickered for a moment and then was on top of him, clawed fingers reaching for Hiroshi. The stranger laughed as he sent a pulse of wicked energy into the young demon's throat. Hiroshi stood immobile for a moment, his sword hanging slack in his grip, unaware that the flesh of his neck was dissolving and pouring down his chest. He didn't even feel pain, he died so quickly, crumbling finally when the other demon let him go.

"Ranma!" Miroku gasped. Sango put her hand out to steady herself and faced him. "Ranma, what are you doing?" He grinned and took a step closer to her. "What do you think I'm doing?" he said, just as he viciously backhanded the exterminator and slammed her to the ground. Namichi gave an inarticulate shout and charged him, intent on carving him to the ground with her blade. Miroku was a second faster than her, being considerably closer and raised his staff to belt Ranma across the head. Ranma just held up his hand and a bright flash blinded them all, Kagome couldn't see anything, but Ranma's laugh was cold and evil in her ears. "What's happening?" she whispered, holding tight to Akane.

Namichi blinked rapidly to clear her eyes, trying to focus on her opponent. She heard the ring of sword being drawn. "Over here, bitch," a gruff voice hissed.

She spun around and saw a huge blade coming her way and threw herself to the side. "Don't you want to play with me?" he said coldly. She stared, almost forgetting to hold onto her blade. The young man in front of her fixed her with a malice filled gaze. Namichi's eyes were captured by the shining blade that loomed over her. "I know that sword," she whispered.

Ranma stepped over Miroku, smirking. The monk was laying on his back, still half blinded by the flash and reached for the rosary beads to that would unseal his wind tunnel. Ranma kicked him viciously in the head, knocking him cold. "Stupid human, I was warned about that little hole in your hand." He glanced over at Namichi and Inuyasha, still facing off against each other. "Aren't you done with her yet, brother?" he asked in a sardonic tone.

"Not even close," the hanyou spat. He was going to cut this bitch into tiny pieces. She was half scared shitless anyway, her wrists gone limp as she tried to hold up her blade. "Come on, cunt," he said viciously. "Don't you want to dance?"

Namichi hadn't been scared like this in years. His resemblance to his father at the moment was truly frightening and she knew about what the Tetsusaiga could do when unleashed. Her mouth opened and closed, but she couldn't find the words and she trembled like she'd never been in a fight before. Inuyasha grunted in disgust and brought the sword around in a sharp sweep. Namichi stared, half of her blade was gone. The next blow took it out of her hands and she fell to her knees, fully expecting the next strike to take her head from her shoulders. "You're a disappointment," he said sourly, raising the massive blade for a killing blow.

"Inuyasha!" A girl's voice shouted desperately and distracted him. The hanyou scowled at the dark haired girl who was trying to get to her feet. She staggered towards him, her hands outstretched and he scowled in surprise. "Stop it, please don't kill her," she begged. She hardly recognized him, but he turned away from Namichi and stared at her hard. "Ranma?" he said in a questioning tone.

Ranma nodded slowly, coming up to stand next to his demon brother. "I think so, that's the one he described anyway. You take care of it." Kagome stood still in horror as Ranma casually raised his hand and sent another pulse of energy directly at Namichi. She put her hands to her mouth and couldn't look away as the demoness was blown apart, her body dissolving under Ranma's corrosive youki. "Naraku said don't kill the humans, but I swear these demons weren't hardly worth the effort either. What a joke."

Inuyasha grinned unpleasantly. "I think we should kill the humans anyway, fuck Naraku."

Kagome suddenly found it hard to breathe. "Inuyasha, what's wrong with you?"

"Shut up, you fucking bitch!" he snarled angrily. He slipped his sword back into its sheath. "We done here or what?" the hanyou snapped in irritation. Ranma nodded, looking at Kagome with interest. "I think so, let's go."

Inuyasha turned around and slammed his fist into Kagome's face, knocking the girl off her feet and instantly unconscious. He reached down and grabbed her roughly, throwing her over his shoulder with a careless disregard. "You got any idea what he wants with this one?"

Ranma shrugged. "Nope. Unlucky for her though, I'm sure it won't be pleasant." He snickered suddenly, overcome with evil mirth. "Not pleasant for her anyway, whatever it is, it might be fun to watch."

* * *

Kagome opened her eyes and sat up, muffling the cry that wanted to burst from her throat. She looked around at her surroundings and dread filled her. "It wasn't a nightmare," she whispered.

She was in a small, dingy room, plain and bare. The pallet she was sitting on was dusty and Kagome's nose wrinkled in revulsion as she got up. The only other furnishing in the room was a rough wooden table and Kagome's stomach turned when she noticed the gouges and stains on its surface. She rubbed her arms briskly, more to try and dispel her nervousness than because of the chill in the room. She went to the single, narrow window and tried to peer outside. All she could see was an uninviting, rocky mountainside, no wildflowers or even grass was growing in the barren soil.

Kagome brushed her hair out her eyes and winced, her face was bruised and when she looked at her fingers, they were crusted with dried blood from her lips. He had hit her very hard, she didn't understand why. She could remember the way that Ranma had been laughing when he'd killed Namichi, her body tearing apart and burning into dust. What the hell had happened to him?

She jumped when the sound of a door sliding open startled her. Kagome's heart turned over and thudded weakly in her throat at the sight of him. Inuyasha. He looked so different. She'd never realized how much she'd come to identify his red firerat fur haori as part of him. Dressed now in flowing black silk embroidered with golden spiders, he was barely recognizable. His hair had been pulled back in a severe topknot, no longer cascading freely down his back. It made him look older somehow, and far more menacing. But it was his eyes that stopped her heart. She'd never known he could look so cold, so unreachable. He stared at her like she was an insect he considered barely worth killing. There was no recognition in his expression, no humanity left in those cold golden eyes.

Kagome swallowed hard, becoming conscious of the dirt on her face and the dust on her torn school fuku. Whatever Naraku had done to him she had to believe it could be undone. If anyone could reach the dark place he'd gone it would be her. She raised her chin, straightened her shoulders. She would take him back and that meant not letting her fear take hold of her. "Hello Inuyasha."

He tilted his head to the side, the long sweep of his hair falling over his shoulder. "Why do you say my name like that? Like you know me?"

Kagome forced herself to smile at him. "I do know you, we've known each other for some time now. I'm Kagome, don't you remember me at all?"

"No." Inuyasha drew closer, his eyes flicking over her body with a faint disdain. "I don't know you at all, your face means nothing to me."

Oh god, she thought. This is really bad. But she had to try. "Don't you remember anything at all? Don't you know who you are?" A ghost of a smile passed over his face. "I know all I need to know. I know how to kill."

Kagome felt her smile falter and freeze on her lips. "Kill? Is that all you do now? The Inuyasha I knew didn't kill without need."

His expression remained remote. "Then you don't know me, whatever you think I am, I am something different now." Kagome felt a cold trickle of sweat slip down her back. "I refuse to believe you could change that much. Naraku did this to you, you've got to fight it, Inuyasha. Fight to remember who you really are!"

"Who I really am," he said in a bemused voice. "I like what I am. I like what I've done. I enjoy killing things, it's fun. Who are you to tell me it's wrong?"

His calm manner unnerved her. Where was the Inuyasha who screamed and cursed? What did Naraku have to gain from this? "I'm telling you the truth," she said slowly. His eyes glittered at her, making her even more unsettled. "You don't want hurt people. You don't want to serve Naraku."

He looked puzzled. "What makes you think I serve him? You say you know me, but I don't know you, human. I am exactly what you see, a demon. You should be afraid." Her heart fell and Kagome groaned inwardly. How could she reach him when he was so closed to her? Boldly, she moved closer to him. "I'm not afraid. If you don't remember me then there's got to be something blocking those memories. I won't give up so easily. What do you know about yourself? What has Naraku told you about me?"

Inuyasha folded his arms and regarded her with a mild expression. "Nothing much." A flicker crossed the half-demon's face and he sniffed the air warily. Kagome stared at him, wondering what was going through his mind. "You know, you smell kinda nice, almost familiar."

Hopeful, she took another step toward him. "I should smell familiar, we've been friends for a long time." He sniffed again and reached out slowly to touch her hair. "Your scent is familiar, I don't understand why."

Kagome stood perfectly still while Inuyasha leaned closer, his nose twitching. His hands reached out to cup her shoulders, pulling her against his hard muscular body. Her heart was beating rapidly as he pressed against her, nuzzling her hair. Her eyes got wide when she felt his breath hot on her neck. He was much too close now.

"I like your scent," he breathed softly. "You smell good." She jumped when he suddenly dipped his face to her neck and ran his tongue from the hollow of her throat up to her jawline. "You taste good, too."

Her hands flew up in surprise, pushing him away. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?" He growled lightly, holding her firmly against him. "Uh, Inuyasha?"

"Shut up," he murmured and brought his mouth down to hers. His kiss was possessive, invasive, and she felt her knees turn to jelly and the only thing keeping her on her feet were his hands. Her head was spinning and she struggled weakly against him, her blood rushing fast in her ears. She gasped into his mouth when his hand reached around to grab her rear and squeezed hard enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Her hand came up on its own and she slapped him. Not hard, more out of a pure, desperate sort of surprise than any real anger. He stopped and looked at her, an unpleasant look evolving slowly in his eyes. "Okay, if that's the way you want it. I was going to be nice to you, bitch."

He seized her around the waist and lifted her into the air, bearing her backwards and dropped her hard onto the table. His hands were harsh as he shoved her knees apart, forcing his body between them. Kagome swatted at his hands. "Stop it, Inuyasha! Sit!"

He froze, staring at her with a mixture of surprise and anger in his eyes. Her gaze tore to his neck and for the first time since she'd awoken, Kagome felt the clutch of pure terror in her heart. The rosary was gone. "Oh my god," she whispered.

He met her shocked, terrified eyes. "I don't know why," he said slowly. "But what you said just now really pissed me off."

With a sudden snarl of rage, he shoved her back and pinned her to the table with one hard clawed hand. Kagome stared up at him, completely lost in her own fear. She couldn't struggle, just laid still with her legs hanging limply on either side of him. Inuyasha's face pushed close to hers and she could finally see the madness in his eyes. "I'm going to fuck you til you bleed, bitch."

Kagome whimpered as he loomed over her, his hands grabbing harshly under her clothes. His claws scratched her cruelly as he moved her body into position, enjoying the smell of her horror. Please no, she thought, tears wetting her cheeks. Not like this, Inuyasha. Not like this.

"I thought I'd find you here, brother," a voice said softly. Kagome tried to twist and see who it was, but Inuyasha kept her pinned to the table. He scowled with annoyance. "Go away, Ranma. Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I can tell," Ranma drawled, his voice amused. "Just thought I'd stop by and remind you that Naraku wants her undamaged."

Inuyasha spun around, fury in his face. "I don't give a fuck what Naraku wants!"

What? Kagome thought, using the opportunity to sit up and pull her clothes together. They aren't under his control? She was faint with gratitude for Ranma's interference.

Ranma smirked at his brother. "You can tell him yourself. If you hurt her too much she won't be useful and that will fuck up his plans. And ours."

Inuyasha turned back to Kagome and fixed the girl with a purposeful glare. "I want her."

Laughing unpleasantly, Ranma walked over to clap the hanyou on the shoulder. "Patience, brother. If you lose control you'll kill your pretty little plaything. She's no use to us dead."

The half-demon swore viciously. "All right, I'll wait then." He shot at sullen look at Kagome, his mouth twisted in anger. "Next time, bitch."

Ranma stepped out of his brother's way, a nasty looking smile still on his lips as he turned to follow Inuyasha. "Thank you," Kagome said in a tiny voice.

The demon turned to look at her, dark amusement all over his features. "Don't thank me, girl. My brother doesn't deal well with his frustration. When he finally does have you, you'll be in for the most painful and humiliating experience of your short life. The only consolation will be that he won't let you live long enough to truly suffer the way he'd like."

He left her sitting there, helpless and nearly immobile from terror. Kagome pulled her knees up to her chin and pressed her back against the rough wooden wall. Her slight body shook violently and she wrapped her arms around her legs to stop the tremors. It was no use. He was lost to her and Kagome let her forehead rest on her knees, starting to cry softly from the utter despair crushing her heart.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Sorry about the long time between updates on this story, other things keep getting in my way...like my other fics. But I SWEAR it won't die, it will be finished or you can send Kikyo's soul collectors after me.**

* * *

Akane moaned, slowly regaining consciousness. Her head was aching and she tasted blood in her mouth. Gingerly, the girl raised both hands to her face and felt the beginnings of a monster lump on her forehead. "What hit me?" she whispered painfully.

Her eyes snapped open when a fist buried itself in front of her shirt and Akane found herself being unceremoniously hauled upright and hoisted into the air by that single hand. She stared into furious golden eyes and felt her body trembling with a sudden terror. Sesshomaru shook her hard, making fireworks of pain snap behind her eyes. "Who did this?"

"Iâ€Iâ€I" she babbled, clutching desperately at his arm. "Human, you will tell me who is responsible. I will know who slaughtered my people."

"Sâ€slaughter?" Akane asked weakly. She twisted in his grasp, trying to ease the pain in her neck. His hand had tightened around her collar and she could hear the blood pounding painfully in her ears. She was going to pass out again, she just knew it. "I don't know what you're talking about," she croaked.

Disgusted, he dropped her hard on the ground. He stood over her, glaring with a terrible anger in his eyes. "Where is my brother, you bitch? Speak or I will force the words out of you with pain."

"Leave her alone, Sesshomaru," Miroku said softly, pulling himself off the ground. "She doesn't know what happened." Akane stared at the monk, his face was badly bruised and blood caked the side of his head. The demon lord stared imposingly at him and Miroku leaned on his staff, hoping his skull hadn't been cracked by Ranma's kick. "We were attacked. Namichi and her men tried to defend us but they were no match for them. I'm sorry they died."

"Your sorrow means little to me, human," Sesshomaru said in a soft vicious tone. "I ask you again, where is Inuyasha? Where is that other demon? Did they abandon you before the fight or during?"

Miroku ignored the angry youkai and turned to check on Sango, she was still unconscious and he made sure she was breathing okay. He himself wasn't feeling any too swift and definitely not up to trading insults with the likes of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha's brother stood waiting, insulted by the fact of asking for information from mere humans. Finally the monk looked up. "I don't know where Inuyasha and Ranma are, they disappeared before this happened. Before we met Namichi. She was trying to help us find them."

"You lie," Sesshomaru said coldly. "Namichi would not help humans or defend them. What game is this? I don't have time for your ridiculous stories."

"They attacked us," Akane breathed. She hadn't seen it, she'd been knocked out before they'd seen who was after them. Somehow, in a dark, cold place in heart, she knew who'd killed Namichi and her men, she knew who'd viciously attacked them. "Oh Miroku, please say it wasn't them."

He put a gentle hand on her shoulder as he helped her to her feet. "I'm sorry, Akane. I almost couldn't recognize them but there was no doubt about it. Inuyasha and Ranma were the ones who did this."

"Oh god," she whispered, putting her hands to her face and crying. Miroku patted her back soothingly. Sesshomaru looked annoyed at her tears. "Are you saying my brother is responsible for this? I find that hard to believe."

"It's the truth," Miroku said quietly. "They acted like they didn't know who we were, like they'd never seen us before. Naraku is behind this, Sesshomaru."

Akane was still crying, she found she couldn't stop herself and the more Miroku tried to soothe, the harder she wanted to sob. "Not Ranma, why would he do such a thing to us, to me?"

"You didn't expect the demon to turn on you?" Sesshomaru sneered. His eyes glittered at her when she turned to look at him. "Foolish, pathetic mortals, how could you not know he'd betray you?"

Angry, the girl spun around and faced the youkai lord. "Ranma would never betray anyone, he'd never turn on us! Weren't you listening? It has to be this Naraku guy, he did something to them!"

He considered snapping her neck for her insolence, but the urge passed as he knew it was hardly worth his time. "The fact remains that he is responsible for the deaths of my people. I will not allow such an act to go unpunished."

"You don't care about why they did it?" she snapped, planting her hands on her hips and her eyes sparkling with anger. "It doesn't mean anything to you that your own brother might be controlled by some evil monster? You should want to rescue him, not punish him!"

"Rescue Inuyasha," Sesshomaru murmured. The very idea gave him a sense of dark amusement. Miroku cleared his throat, subtly placing his body between Akane and the demon. "There's a few things you don't understand," he said, looking down at her face.

Akane shook her head. "I understand you're upset by the death of your friends. It must hurt a lot." He raised an eyebrow at that, she was obviously attributing human feelings to his behavior. How very entertaining. The girl continued, ignoring Miroku's slightly queasy expression as she tried to reach the chill demon. "Ranma and Inuyasha need your help. We've got to find them before something else terrible happens."

Sesshomaru had a faint smile that made shivers go up Miroku's spine. "Girl, are you asking for my help in finding your friends?"

She nodded firmly, hands clasped tightly before her. "Yes, we need you, demon-sama. Won't you please help us?"

"I would be delighted," he said softly. Miroku put his hands on Akane's shoulders, pulling the girl away from Sesshomaru. She didn't understand, but he knew the demon well enough by now to know he never agreed to anything that nicely. Akane looked pleased. "You mean it?"

"Indeed. I will help you find Ranma and Inuyasha." Sesshomaru was actually smiling at them, showing way too much fang in Miroku's expert opinion. The demon lord turned away with a dramatic sweep of silk and soft white fur. "When I find them, I'm going to personally rip their hearts out. If you can follow me, you might even get the privilege of watching me do it."

Akane stared after him. "Oh...shit."

"I tried to tell you," Miroku murmured. "Sesshomaru's not the kind of person you ask for help."

* * *

Kagome sat huddled against the wall, trying to convince herself that she really wasn't too scared to move. It was difficult, her mind quailed in fear when she thought about the look in his eyes before he left. She couldn't believe it, something had happened to Inuyasha and he not only didn't recognize her, he really wanted to hurt her. He'd kissed her brutally, without any tenderness only a cruel covetous desire. It hurt her heart seeing him so vicious. When his demon side had taken him over, she'd always been able to convince herself that it wasn't the real Inuyasha. It was a monster that lived inside him, one with red eyes and long fangs that didn't care who they shredded as long as the taste of blood never ended. This wasn't the same. His eyes were the same gold that she'd fallen in love with. Even if Naraku had blocked Inuyasha's memories of her, what could have transformed him into something so cruel and sadistic?

He had almost raped her.

Kagome started taking deep breaths again, striving to hold off panic and hyperventilation. It didn't happen. She had scratches under her skirt on her hips and thighs, but that's as far as he got. Her body hadn't been violated, it was her heart that felt like it had been torn apart. Naraku, she thought, focus on Naraku. He did this for some reason, he brought me here for some reason. What's he trying to do? Why did he have them bring me here?

Well, there was one obvious answer. Jewel shards, it had to be that he wanted her for something regarding the Shikon no Tama. Was he close to completing it? Kagome chewed her lip nervously. She knew there couldn't be many more shards out there. Kohaku had one. Koga had two. It had been some time since they'd encountered an unclaimed shard. Now Inuyasha and Ranma both seemed perfectly content to assist Naraku in his evil. She shuddered convulsively. The idea of them set loose on the world made her cringe.

Enough of this, girl, she told herself sternly. Kagome made her legs unlock and stood up with a minimum of trembling. The only way she was going to find out what Naraku wanted was to ask him herself. She wasn't going to sit helplessly and wait for them to come back. Resolute, she reached for the door and slid it open. Kohaku was sitting on the floor, looking right at her. She started, for some reason she hadn't been expecting the first person she saw to be Sango's little brother. "Kohaku-kun," she breathed. "Why are you here?"

The boy didn't answer, just looked at her expressionlessly. Kagome nervously shifted from foot to foot, wondering if he was there to stop her from leaving the room. "Are you guarding me?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Kohaku nodded slowly. Kagome took a deep breath. It made sense, Kohaku was human, she was human, better it be him keeping an eye on her than Inuyasha. "Are you supposed to keep me in there?"

The boy shook his head. "No," he said in a soft, inflectionless voice. "I'm supposed to keep them out. I am supposed to protect you if they come back and try to harm you."

They? Kagome's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Then it became clear. "Inuyasha and Ranma?" Kohaku didn't answer, but fingered the sickle-blade he held. "He doesn't control them, does he?"

Kohaku slowly stood up. "No."

"Of course he doesn't control them," a voice said bitterly. Kagome jumped and whirled around to see Kagura standing just behind her. The wind demon was scowling. "Unlike myself and Kohaku, those two are free to go where they please. They're only hanging around Naraku because they haven't figured out he's using them. As long as he keeps giving them things to kill, they're entertained."

"Things to kill?" Kagome squeaked. Kagura gave her a pitying look. "Mainly lower youkai and oni, anything Naraku chooses to call. It keeps them out of trouble while he's getting his plans together."

"What is his plan?" Kagome asked. She shivered involuntarily, thinking of all the destruction Naraku would wage with a pair of perfect killing tools like Inuyasha and Ranma.

Kagura smiled, a wry twist of her mouth. "Like he tells me his plans. I don't know what he's plotting to do this time. I think he'd expected them to be more biddable. Inuyoukai are so stubborn, I guess even Naraku didn't forsee that."

The wind demon looked down at Kohaku. "Are you supposed to let her wander around?"

The boy's expression was perfectly placid. "He didn't say to keep her in. Only to make sure she isn't injured."

Kagura sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Wonderful. I wish I knew what that bastard was up to." Kagome agreed with her statement and stood still as Kagura drifted away. Naraku's incarnation was unpleasant and cruel, but Kagome had always pitied her just the same. Just like Kohaku, she was also a slave.

Turning away, Kagome went down the corridor and grimaced at the dirt and bloodstains that were everywhere. "Doesn't Naraku have anyone to clean this place?" she shuddered. It was horrifying, how many people had he murdered here. Dozens, it seemed by the looks of the place. It sickened her, Naraku seemed to thrive on suffering and pain like some kind of psychic vampire, delighting in new ways to torture and torment other beings. Now he had his claws into her friends. Poor Ranma, she thought miserably. It's all my fault, I never should have brought you here. I should have known that someone like Naraku would find a way to use you. She had to find a way to fight him, rescue her friends. She hoped Miroku and Sango were okay, and poor Akane. If any of them were injured or killed, she'd never rest until she tore Naraku apart with her bare hands.

Kagome came to an opening in the wall, a doorless exit to a balcony that wrapped around the outside of the building. This must have been a beautiful place once, she thought, looking at the carving on the doorway. Now it was scratched, gouged and filthy. She stepped outside and immediately felt the presence of a barrier. She could stand there, but not move forward, not lean over the side of the railing to look down. She put up her hand and felt the sizzle of the barrier against her skin, unpleasantly tingling.

"Don't think about trying to escape. Without the barrier, the miasma around this structure is fatal to humans."

Kagome spun around and found herself face to face with the horror himself. "Naraku. Why did you bring me here?"

The dark haired demon smiled pleasantly. His human form was that of a handsome young man, noble and regal in appearance. Only the eyes were wrong, crimson red like old bloodstains on glass. There was no pity in them, only a needful hunger for pain. "My dear young priestess, are you not pleased I have reunited you with Inuyasha?"

"What did you do to them?" she whispered. She was afraid, oh yes, Naraku scared the hell out of her, but she'd be damned herself before she'd let him see her cower. "You turned them into monsters."

He smiled. "I did no such thing. They are exactly as they should be naturally. No interference from human emotions like love and compassion. Just the pure perfection of their demon blood. Look" he said, pointing a sharp finger outside. "Aren't they magnificient?"

Kagome looked and saw Inuyasha and Ranma standing not far from the building. They wereâ€laughing. Inuyasha was holding some strange twisted form of oni in his claws, slowly torturing it to death. They were too far away for her to hear, but she could still see the creature's agony as it writhed and struggled for escape. Ranma moved closer and slit the beast from end to end, causing blood and entrails to pour out of its body as it died. Her hands went to her mouth involuntarily, disgusted and horrified. Just as Inuyasha dropped the dead monster, a large pack descended on the amused dog demons. Ranma moved like a graceful whirlwind, stabbing, punching and clawing at his leisure, demon body parts flying around him like a shower of gore. She caught her breath and silently agreed with Naraku. Whatever he was, it was magnificent in its pure deadliness. The young demon was shouting with laughter, his face alight with joy, the hard muscles of his bare arms twisting as he struck again and again. Human, Ranma had been skilled and amazing, a true martial artist in every sense of the word. Now a full demon, he moved with unearthly precision and effortless grace.

Inuyasha wasn't much different, the billowing black of this clothing made him look like a dark cloud of destruction. The sadistic glee in his smile made Kagome cringe. His claws struck again and again, ripping anything they touched with inhuman power and speed. Self consciously, she put her hands where those claws had scratched her and felt her stomach turn into a knotted ball of ice.

Naraku felt her reaction and smiled. The difficult woman had ruined his plans on so many occasions, he couldn't help but delight in her horror. She obviously was immune to the beauty of what they'd become, no doubt pining for her weak and pitiful friends to return. He moved closer, threatening her by his very nearness. To him she was the pathetic reincarnation of Kikyo. The priestess never would have worn such a hurt and distressed expression, she would have remained the immovable mountain of pride. Still, their resemblance was enough to make him enjoy this moment even more.

"You don't like what you see, Kagome?" he murmured, very close to her ear. She flinched and he smirked. "You should have seen what they did to a human village I set them on. Even I was impressed by their capacity for cruelty in their amusement."

She caught her breath and backed away from him. "You absolute monster! Why did you do that, does it give you a thrill to watch innocent, defenseless people be slaughtered?"

"Yes," he hissed. "It amuses me because Inuyasha and Ranma never would have done such a thing if they had even a shred of their human souls intact. I did it to test for just that reaction and let me assure you, dear Kagome. There was nothing human about what they did to that village or its inhabitants."

Kagome closed her eyes, fighting against the nausea that rose in her throat. "What do you want from me?" she muttered, her hands closing into tight fists of anger.

Oh she was a delight, such capacity for horror and she was still trying to comprehend his plan. "It's very simple," he said softly. "You work for me now. I want you to track down the remaining jewel shards for me and assist me in restoring the Shikon no Tama."

Her breath caught. "And what makes you think I'd help you?"

Naraku gestured outside, catching the gaze of both Ranma and Inuyasha. They approached coming to stand just outside the barrier, miasma swirling around their feet. Kagome swallowed hard and looked back at them. Ranma wore the same helplessly happy grin that she'd first seen when she met him. Only the darkness in his eyes belied that there was nothing like the cocky boy she'd known in high school left in him. Inuyasha wasn't smiling, his eyes were burning at her, sinister and lustful. Kagome suddenly felt exposed, wanting to duck behind Naraku so that the hanyou couldn't see her. It was just so wrong she couldn't stand it.

Naraku's hand on her shoulder made her flinch. "If you do not help me, I'll have to give you over to them. I'll make my instructions simple. They will kill you, as long as it's painful and humilitating, they can satisfy every twisted desire they have on your unwilling flesh. When they've finished, when they've exhausted the life from you and you're nothing more than a bloody mess on the floor, I'll make sure to restore their memories. Do you think either of them could stand living with what they did to you, or how much they enjoyed your last moments? My personal guess is that the knowledge would drive them both completely insane."

Kagome caught her breath. She did not want to cry in front of Naraku, but tears started to leak out of her eyes anyway. His finger brushed against her cheek, wiping up the salty drop and bringing it to his lips. Her pain was exquisite and he sighed in contentment as she acknowledged her defeat.

"I'll do what you want," she said dully. Behind her defeat, Kagome's mind was working to come up with a better answer. I'm not giving up on them, you son of a bitch. If I have to pretend to go along with this monster to get time to figure a way to save Ranma and Inuyasha, I can do it. Miroku and Sango are still alive, they won't stop looking for us. Don't you worry, you bastard. I'll beat you yet.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sorry about the long wait for updates! Anyone still reading this? I'm getting close to the end, I promise it will lighten up again, honest! This chapter is kinda dark and intense, but I found it surprisingly easy to write 'evil' Inuyasha. Thanks for reading! Please review!! (I hate to beg, it's so undignified!)**

* * *

Inuyasha's feet skidded as he landed hard on the forest floor. Abruptly he threw the woman to the ground, ignoring her whimper as she hit the dirt hard. "Bitch," he growled angrily. "If you grab my hair one more FUCKING time, I'm going to beat the living fuck out of you. Screw Naraku and his damn jewel shards!"

Kagome pulled herself upright and didn't look at him. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha."

Worthless human bitch, he thought, reaching down to grab her arm and yank her roughly to her feet. He smelled her fear, damn but it was making him want her again. He had sworn, damn them, sworn he wouldn't kill her until Naraku had what he wanted. For the life of him, he didn't know how he'd ever let himself be talked into this bullshit. He just wanted to kill something, anything to release this frustrated hard feeling that rode in his chest like the bitch had been riding on his back.

She was refusing to look at him again, that made him angry. Just because it was fun, he slapped her again. Not that hard, but enough to make her reel into a tree. "Where's this Koga asshole supposed to be anyway?"

Kagome swallowed hard and tried to shake off the burning sensation where he'd struck her again. Naraku had sent them out together in search of shards. More specifically, in search of Koga's shards. Laughing, the mutant demon had told her exactly what he planned for them.

"The wolf demon has two shards in his legs," Naraku said, walking slowly back and forth in front of them. Ranma had a nasty little grin on his face. "Too bad for the wolf."

Naraku favored her friend with a pleased expression. "I see you comprehend, Ranma. However, I'm not sure where to find him. After Kagura slaughtered so many of their tribe, the wolf demon has been difficult to track." Here Naraku paused and reached out a finger to touch Kagome's cheek. She flinched away, hating him.

"This will be your bait," he smirked. "I am aware that for some reason Koga favors this female. Her scent should be enough to draw him out of hiding long enough to kill him."

Kagome bit her lip and looked away. What he said was all too true, if Koga thought she was in danger he'd probably come running right to her. She hated the idea of being used to kill someone she thought of as a friend.

"Good," Inuyasha muttered, looking at the sky. "As long as I get to kill something. I'll make sure there's not enough left of that wolf to bury."

"Exactly my plan," Naraku smiled fondly. Kagome stared as the demon patted Inuyasha's shoulder. The hanyou looked annoyed but didn't otherwise react. Kagome shuddered. Her Inuyasha wouldn't let Naraku within ten feet of him, not without Tetsusaiga drawn and ready. This Inuyasha had no idea what kind of manipulative monster he was dealing with. She wished she was at home, safe in her own bed and dreaming only of math finals.

"Are you paying attention, bitch?" Inuyasha exploded angrily. By the gods, he was aching to beat her into unconsciousness. But he knew he'd never be able to hold back from killing her. She looked at him with fear and repulsion in her face. Flushing hard, the woman started to stammer. "I was listening," she said in a tiny voice. "I honestly don't know where Koga is, I already told you that."

Cracking her head upside the tree sounded like a good idea. Fucking her senseless and then beating her brains in sounded even better. He sighed, looking away from her. What a pain in the ass, he wished it had been Ranma that got to go after the wolf instead.

"No," Naraku told him. "It needs to be you. Koga will be suspicious of any stranger who accompanies this woman. You he knows and won't suspect."

Huh, looks like the bitch was telling the truth. She did know him somehow, that had to be why the scent of her tickled his nostrils so much. He leaned against the tree, watching her, letting her catch her breath. The girl moved a few inches more away from him, heading for a small stream to get a drink of water. "Stay where I can see you, wench," he rumbled warningly.

He half hoped she'd make a run for it. Then he could have the fun of running her down, throwing her hard into the dirt and watching the despair and grief flood her face when she realized there was no escape. One way or another, she was his.

Naraku had said so. He wasn't sure he trusted the demon, no he was sure he didn't trust him. He trusted his brother, though. Even though this woman said Ranma wasn't his brother, it felt like he was. Kindred spirits and all that crap. Blood didn't make for brotherhood, blood didn't count for shit other than the sweet taste of it when you licked your claws. Ranma wanted to know what was so goddamn important about this Shikon no Tama. He gathered it must make demons more powerful, otherwise why the hell would Naraku be after it in the first place?

Kagome knelt by the stream and splashed a little water on her face and tried to collect her thoughts. No choice at all was left to her, she had to help Inuyasha find Koga. Desperately, she hoped she'd be unsuccessful but she didn't dare try to lie about it. Damn, she wasn't even sure she'd be able to do it. All she could do was try and sense which direction he might be, she didn't feel any shards nearby. And she knew her time was pretty limited. Inuyasha seemed barely able to contain himself from killing her outright. Silently, with her face turned away from him, Kagome felt a hot tear slip down her cheek. Oh Inuyasha, you've got to wake up!

A hard hand grabbed her by the back of her shirt. "Enough water, bitch," he said irritably. Holding her in front of him, he stared pitilessly down into her eyes. Sniffing slightly, he caught the scent of salt and grinned. "Are you crying, Kagome?" he asked sweetly.

She shivered at the coldness of his tone, not daring to struggle away from him. "I'm just scared of you," she whispered.

Now that seemed to make him happy and his fingers loosened on her clothing. "Good," he said, smiling. He almost looked like himself now, she thought and dropped her eyes.

"Let's go find that mangy excuse for a wolf," he said cheerfully. "If you're good little girl I won't make you watch me disembowel him." She caught her breath, a harsh sob wanted to escape from her chest. He heard it and smiled again, even nastier if that was possible.

"Oh, does that upset you, wench? Does it bother you that you're the one who's going to lure him to his death? I think that's fine, makes it even more fun for me."

Kagome's hands balled into fists, she was getting angry herself now. "Just go ahead and try," she snapped, glaring at him directly now. "Koga's not that easy to kill."

He thought he heard something in her tone under all that defiance. His eyes flicked over her, watching her chest heave angrily, noting the scratches that graced her slim legs. "Why do you say that?" he asked in a dangerous tone. He drew closer, staring down at her with a light behind his eyes. "Does that fucking wolf mean something to you, bitch? Are you in love with him or something?"

"No," she retorted. "I'm not in love with Koga, don't be stupid." Oh, that might have been a mistake, she thought, looking away from him when she saw a flush of anger cross his face. "Stupid?" he asked in a deadly tone.

"I didn't mean that," she stammered, backing away from him. Shit, now what? His teeth gleamed in the shadows of the forest and suddenly she noticed that everything around them had gone deadly still. Even the birds had stopped chirping, reacting to the menace that was radiating off Inuyasha's body.

"I think you're lying," he said softly. "Maybe you aren't in love with him. Then again, maybe there's more to it than Naraku knows. Are you his mate or something like that?"

"Of course not," she said, blushing a little. Just don't ask Koga that, she thought. The wolf demon might not be the brightest demon she'd ever run across, but he was sure one of the most persistent. "It's not like that," she began.

His hands seized her shoulders and lifted her off the ground. Kagome couldn't help but cry out when those claws dug hard into her arms and punctured the skin. She smelled her own blood and saw the scent of it reflect in his eyes with a kind of madness. He shook her hard, making her head snap back weakly on her neck. Her fingers plucked at his sleeves weakly. "I think you're lying to me again," he growled.

"I'm not," she whispered. He pulled her close to him then, his nose twitching as he drew in the scent of her terror again. He clasped her against him now, holding her so tight she thought her ribs might crack. "Inuyasha!"

"I like the way you say my name," he muttered, sounding almost drunk. "Tell me the truth, you love the wolf, don't you? Tell me the truth and I won't hurt you."

She couldn't answer, he wouldn't let her draw a breath. All she could do was tremble helplessly against him, feeling his arousal growing hard against her stomach. Oh please god, she thought, beginning to panic. Her vision was starting to blur.

"Doesn't matter," he said thickly. "You're mine, bitch. I think it's time we finished what we started earlier."

"No," she whispered, her forehead pressed into his chest. "Please don't do this, Inuyasha. Remember what Naraku..." He laughed suddenly, catching her off guard and threw her on the ground. "To hell with Naraku," he growled happily. "I won't kill you, wench. You'll still be useful when I'm done."

Swiftly, he knelt down, grabbed her arm and wrenched her up again. Kagome screamed, feeling her shoulder dislocate under his rough handling. White hot pain flooded her arm and her fingers suddenly felt numb. He stopped for a second. "Uh, sorry about that," he told her in a mocking tone. "Guess I don't know my own strength."

Oh god, he's going to kill me, she screamed in her mind, biting hard on her lips to keep from shrieking again. He's going to rape me and kill me, I'll never see my mother again or my little brother. She couldn't help it then, she started crying, sobbing harder as he reached to lift her hips and turn her so she was lying on her stomach. Kagome's breath caught in her throat when he gripped her hair, pulling her head back harshly so he could lick her cheek. "Cry all you want, slut," he hissed. "There's no one going to save you now."

"I wouldn't say that." An icy voice interrupted the half demon's plans and even Kagome stopped sobbing, shocked to silence when she recognized that voice. Sesshomaru, she thought wildly, hardly believing rescue would come from such an unlikely source.

Inuyasha whirled away from his prey and stared hard at the stranger. A demon, he thought, his eyes narrowing. He caught the scent and felt anger course through his body. Whoever he was, he hated him on sight. "This doesn't concern you, asshole," he said menacingly.

Sesshomaru looked disgusted. "I would normally agree with you, Inuyasha. I have no interest in what you do with your," his lips curled contemptuously, "friends. I am not here to watch you defile some female. I have come to kill you at last."

"How do you know my name?" Inuyasha demanded hotly. "You want a fight, you've got it, bastard!"

"You don't recall your older brother?" Sesshomaru smirked. This was indeed amusing, apparently the humans had been correct. His dear little brother had fallen under some kind of spell and lost his wits. Which, Sesshomaru reflected, was no great loss to demonkind. It mattered not that his brother had no memory of him or that he was acting under some kind of delusion. Sesshomaru was livid over the death of Namichi and her men. He required blood to slake that anger and the blood of the one responsible for their deaths was the only thing that would appease him.

Drawing Tokijin from his sash, he faced his brother with a faint smile. "Draw your sword, Inuyasha. It's time for us to settle our grievances."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Inuyasha snarled, quite forgetting the injured girl in front of him. He whipped Tetsusaiga from its sheath, grinning as the rusty blade pulsed to life and transformed in his hand. "Brother, my ass," he snapped. "I'll cut your fucking head off just for smelling bad."

"Insults now?" Sesshomaru raised an elegant eyebrow at the hanyou's presumption. "How entertaining. I should have finished this a long time ago before you learned to speak."

Inuyasha grunted. "You always talk this much, asshole?"

Sesshomaru stepped back, raising Tokijin in a strange, compelling gesture. "No." Bright blue flames shot from the sword and burst around Inuyasha. Kagome shrieked, covering her face with her one good arm as the hanyou swung his own blade in defense, blocking the frenetic youki energy. The blast tore at his hair, but for the most part he was able to turn away the raw power of Sesshomaru's blade. "Nice trick," he growled at last, panting just a little. "It's about time I met someone worth my time. You might just be a match for me."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do not compare yourself to me, filthy half breed! I will always be your superior. In battle or anywhere else and you will not forget it."

Stung, he charged at Sesshomaru, snarling incoherently as he swung the Tetsusaiga in a rapid fire series of blows. Kagome winced as each contact rocked the small glade, tearing at the air as the blades clashed over and over. A cold feeling invaded her heart suddenly, just as she wondered why Inuyasha hadn't bothered to use any of Tetsusaiga's powerful attacks. He doesn't remember, she realized in stunned hurt. He had no idea what that sword could do, how to access its power. It would be like a child using a toy popgun against an automatic weapon.

Sesshomaru was going to kill him.

Kagome had to do something, otherwise she knew she'd never had the chance to save him. "Sesshomaru!" she shouted.

The icy demon lord didn't bother to glance her way, easily fending off another of Inuyasha's lightning strike attacks. "Why, little brother," he murmured. "For once you're actually fighting like a real demon. I must say it will be a pity to destroy you now that you've actually learned to cross blades like a civilized creature."

"Fuck you," Inuyasha panted. Goddamn, where did this guy get his energy from? He should have been lying in pieces on the ground by now. All the youkai and humans he'd managed to slaughter were nothing compared to this combination of skill and power. It made him angry, he wanted to taste this asshole's blood now, grind that unruffled face into the dirt. He'd forgotten everything except this moment of battle. Nothing else twitched in his consciousness. Focus, damn you, fight this bastard off. Or at least make him take so much damage that he gets to join you in hell.

Snarling, he jumped into the air, flinging himself down on Sesshomaru so fast that even the demon lord couldn't compensate and they crashed hard into the ground. Sesshomaru growled angrily, using the hilt of Tokijin as a blunt weapon against his younger brother's skull. With an easy agile grace, he gained his feet first and kicked Inuyasha in the head with all his considerable pure youkai strength. It was enough, his brother's body jerked reflexively and then stilled, laying face down in the grass as Tetsusaiga abruptly untransformed back into its sleeping form.

Sesshomaru shook off the tremors that would have been undignified for him to display. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, they had very nearly been matched in this fight. Gone was his brother's clumsiness, there was nothing but ruthless intent behind those blows. Somehow, Inuyasha had managed to overcome his half blood inferiority to meet his brother like a true demon. Something was definitely wrong. He sniffed the air delicately, detecting no change of scent about his brother's person. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, not liking the implications of what he'd discovered.

"Just as well, little brother," he said softly. "Ordinarily, I would not slay you in such a fashion, I would prefer to let you wake and continue our battle. However, I have an obligation to fulfill, a debt that can only be cleansed by your blood." He raised Tokijin, feeling the sword's delight that he was about to deliver a killing blow. "For them, I must make sure end your life this moment."

"No!" A frantic cry stayed his stroke momentarily. Sesshomaru held an impassive expression as the human girl struggled to her feet. She was injured, he smelled her blood, detected the harm done to her shoulder. Still, she struggled toward them, reaching for his contemptible half brother. "Please," she said, meeting his expressionless golden eyes with her desperate dark ones. "Sesshomaru, please don't kill him?"

"Are you mad?" he inquired pleasantly. "If I am not mistaken, he was only moments from taking you against your will. You still seek to protect him."

"It's not his fault," Kagome said, hoping like hell there was some part of Sesshomaru she could reach with her words. "Naraku did something to him. Didn't you see he couldn't remember who you were? He doesn't know who he is!"

He hardly needed a measly human wench to point out the obvious. "It does not matter." Sesshomaru was finished with annoying humans and half demons. Tokijin swung down again, ready for death. Kagome swallowed hard and followed the blade, moving between it and his brother. "Please," she whispered again.

Tokijin's menacing aura flowed from its blade, threatening and corrupt with hatred, but Kagome stood her ground anyway. "Don't do this," she pleaded again.

"Move." His order was hard, expecting nothing less that absolute obedience. "I did not come here to slay you as well, human. Do not think I will ask again twice. I will not spare him, not after the crime he has committed.

The realization came like a flash to Kagome. Without so much as flinching, she stared Inuyasha's brother straight in the eye. "He didn't kill Namichi."

No reaction from the demon, but it seemed like the menace of Tokijin's aura seemed to fade a bit. "You lie."

She shook her head, her hair whipping across her face. Kagome forgot the pain in her shoulder, forgot her fear and horror. Carefully, she made sure he couldn't mistake her words. "He did not kill Namichi. I was there. They fought, but he did not take her life."

Sesshomaru frowned slightly, sensing no deception in her words. Very slowly, he backed off, letting Tokijin's power bleed away into the atmosphere like a rancid mist. This was unexpected. As much as he had desired to kill his brother, he was not about to allow himself to be manipulated into doing so. "Who is responsible then?"

Kagome hated herself for what she was about to do, but she didn't dare lie and Inuyasha was in no condition to defend himself. Say the wrong word and she knew she'd find herself equally dead beside the hanyou. Taking a deep breath, she answered him. "It was Ranma." Oh Akane, forgive me!

He hesitated for a moment before replying. "The inuyoukai who was traveling with you. The foolish pup who dared to challenge me in a duel. He is the one who murdered Namichi and her men?"

"It's not his fault either," she said quietly. "Naraku is the one to blame, he did something to them. Made them full of hate, made them forget who they were. It had something to do with that old woman in the mountains. We went to her to try and find a way to seal Ranma's demon power. So he could go home, so he could be normal again. But the amulet she gave him didn't work."

Sesshomaru turned away from her, slipping Tokijin back into his sash with an easy grace. Kagome stared hard at his back, not quite believing the demon had actually understood her story and was going to spare Inuyasha. It was too much to hope for.

He paused, glancing back at her. "I understand now," he said softly. "That does not mean I am not going to hunt down and kill Ranma. Just because you claim he is not responsible for his actions does not release him from my wrath. For Namichi's sake, I must destroy her murderer."

"Wait," she cried, holding tight to her injured arm. "You can't just leave now. What if he wakes up and he's still under Naraku's spell? I don't know how to stop him."

A faint, bitter smile held his lips as the demon lord turned away. "That is not my concern. If you have any intelligence, girl, you will put as much distance between my brother and yourself as possible."

He left her standing there, staring blankly into the forest as if answers or assistance was somehow just beyond her reach. Her shoulder was throbbing, Kagome's head was aching with stress and the aftereffects of Inuyasha's abuse. Right now, she couldn't have put distance between them if she tried. She gave herself a dozen or so steps before she'd collapse from shock and exhaustion. Her cheeks were wet again, she hadn't even realized she was crying until now. Staggering, she turned back to Inuyasha, still lying face down on the ground. Her knees gave out then and she fell limply across his back, burying her face in the familiar scent of his hair and sobbed until sleep overtook her at last.


	19. Chapter 19

Kagome felt pain. It was starting to flood back into her body, she was hurt. Her eyelids were sticky with dried tears and she thought she couldn't make herself move. Maybe if I just lay here, if I just try to ignore the pain, I can forget what happened. If I sleep long enough, maybe it will all turn into a dream. Warm unconsciousness sought to claim her again, release her from the aching of her body. It would be so good to sleep some more.

A light touch brushed her cheek and Kagome's eyes snapped open with a nameless panic. Stifling a scream, she rolled to the side and crouched, hoping somehow she'd be able to defend herself. Her attacker sat still, staring at her with wide eyes. "I'm so sorry, girl," he murmured and offered her a friendly smile. "I wasn't sure either of you were even alive."

Kagome stared at him. A kind faced man was looking at her with a gentle expression, both of his hands held up to show that he wasn't concealing a weapon from her. "Just relax," he said in a soothing tone. "You're hurt, aren't you?"

She shifted from where she sat, automatically moving as if her slender body could protect the unconscious Inuyasha from whatever this stranger had planned. The man was human, dark hair was touched with a bit of white at his temples, streaking the long braid that was cast over his shoulder. He knelt a few feet from her, making no aggressive moves. She trembled anyway, the ache in her shoulder was fire, her hand was numb even though she knew she was trying to curl it into a fist. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice rough and crumbling. "What do you want?"

He nodded at the unconscious body next to her. "I was just passing by," he said. "I saw you two laying there and assumed you were dead. Murdered or something by bandits, I wasn't sure."

Her trembling increased and Kagome thought she might be sick. The man looked at her narrowly for a moment, then removed his long cloak. Slowly, he extended it to her, hoping not to frighten her more. "Here, you're shaking. You might be in shock, young lady."

Holding her injured arm tight against her, she reached with her good hand and took the offered garment, clumsily pulling it over her shoulders. His kind expression never wavered. "Can you tell me what happened?" he asked gently. "Who did this to you?"

"Sesshomaru," she said automatically, looking at Inuyasha. He was still out like a light and Kagome felt tears welling up in her eyes. Oh, she prayed he wasn't badly hurt, she'd never known him to be knocked out this long. She missed the hard look that passed over the stranger's face, his dark eyes became like obsidian and his mouth thinned bitterly.

"Sesshomaru," he muttered, looking away from her. "I might have known. Still, even I thought it would be beneath him to attack a defenseless child like you."

She stared at him. "No, you don't understand. He didn't do anything to hurt me."

"You're injured," he said flatly, glancing back at her. The man's handsome face suddenly looked tired. "If Sesshomaru didn't do this to you, then who did?"

She jerked her chin at Inuyasha. "He did it. He was going to...no, Sesshomaru stopped him. I'm sure it wasn't out of kindness, he just wanted to kill Inuyasha."

The man looked startled, peering again at the unconscious hanyou. "This is Inuyasha?" He moved closer, Kagome seemingly having lost her fear of him for the moment. The man reached out and grasped the half demon firmly by the shoulder, turning him over so he could look at his face. "Oh my gods," he breathed, his eyes going wide.

The man put his hand on Inuyasha's face, gently turning it to the side, noting the swelling bruises where he'd been hit. "I wouldn't have believed it," he muttered. "Girl, this is important. What happened, why did this hanyou hurt you?"

Kagome felt defensive, feeling the need to protect Inuyasha, even from a stranger's scorn. "It's not his fault, he's been under some kind of spell. He's my friend, he would never hurt me intentionally."

"A spell, huh?" The man rubbed his face again, frowning. "If so, why did Sesshomaru leave him alive? He's not exactly known for being merciful when he's angry."

She felt ashamed of that, she'd sent the demon lord after Ranma with intent to kill. But there'd been no other way to convince him to spare his brother. Sadly, she found herself relating the story in bits and pieces, the man nodding understandingly when she couldn't find the words to describe what Inuyasha had been intending to do.

"So, he could still be under this spell and still dangerous," he said quietly. "You should take Sesshomaru's advice, young woman. Leave him here, at least if he still is under this strange magic, he won't be able to hurt you."

Tears welled up in her eyes and dripped down her cheeks. "I can't," she said brokenly. "I won't abandon him, not even to save myself. I'm the only one who can get through to him, he'll never forgive himself for this."

The stranger sat for a few moments, regarding the crying girl with pity in his eyes. Nothing was ever easy, he reflected. "At least let me be the one to try and wake him," he offered. "I've got a better chance of surviving if he attacks, and you can make a run for it while I distract him."

"He'll kill you," she murmured, her eyes wide and pain filled. "You don't understand, he's a half demon and..."

"I'm aware of the young man's heritage," he said dryly. Gently, he moved her aside, making room for himself beside Inuyasha as he took a handful of the half demon's hair. "You just be ready to run," he advised.

Kagome flinched as the stranger slapped Inuyasha hard across the face. When this had no reaction, he hit him again, even harder. Kagome had to stop herself from protesting, seeing Inuyasha so helpless made her hurt inside. The man scowled for a moment, then started to shake the hanyou. "Come on, kid," he muttered. "Snap out of it, I know how hard Sessh hits people when he's mad, but you're supposed to be tougher than that."

"What?" Kagome said nervously. "Do you really know Sesshomaru?"

"Oh, yes. We've met." The man's tone was grim as he continued to shake Inuyasha. Finally, the white haired hanyou let out a low moan of protest. "That's better," the man said cheerfully. "Open your eyes, lad. Time to wake."

Inuyasha groaned again, his head felt like it had been used as a battering ram against a very thick stone wall. "Don't want to wake up," he whispered thickly.

"Too bad," the man barked in a harsh tone. Inuyasha's eyes pried open angrily. The guy standing over him had a severe look and the hanyou watched as a hand came towards his face. This time he got his own up in time to knock aside the blow. "Cut it out, asshole!"

The stranger eased back so that Inuyasha could pull himself into a sitting position. Both hands went to his aching skull. "What the fuck hit me?"

"Your brother, apparently," the man said easily, turning and giving Kagome an encouraging look. She held her breath, not knowing if it was really Inuyasha who was starting to look around, his eyes narrowed in pain. Those eyes met hers and something flickered in them. "Kagome? Are you okay?"

She leaned over the stranger's shoulder. "I'm okay," she answered softly. "Are you okay? Are you really you again?"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" he muttered. Damn, but his head was aching. "Son of a bitch hit me, didn't he?" he asked, looking to Kagome for confirmation. "What did he want this time?"

It was enough. "Oh thank god," she blubbered, pushing the man aside to wrap her good arm around Inuyasha's neck. "You're you again!"

He stared at her. "You're making less sense than usual," he rumbled. "Who the hell is he? Where's Miroku and Sango...where the HELL are my clothes?"

He had noticed he wasn't wearing his usual garments and Kagome smiled faintly. "You don't remember?"

"I don't remember anything," he said peevishly, roughly pulling away from her. Kagome cried out as he jostled her injured shoulder. Inuyasha's nose caught the smell of her blood and his face darkened. "Who hurt you?"

She shook her head and knew that wasn't going to be enough. "It's okay, my shoulder is just dislocated, I fell down and hurt myself."

The stranger shot a burning look at her. She didn't want him to know what he'd done, that much was obvious. All right, he thought, that's her choice. I'll let her settle the matter. "I might be able to help you with that, it's important to get that shoulder back in place as soon as possible."

Inuyasha stared at him. "I'll ask you again, stranger. Who are you and what are you doing here? If you're the one who hurt Kagome, I'm going to rip your face off."

"Pretty tough for someone who just woke up," the man sniped back easily. He leaned over the girl then, one hand moving behind her back as if he knew what he was doing. "Brace yourself, young lady."

Kagome cried out as her injured shoulder was moved back into place, trembling weakly against their new friend as he steadied her. "There, is it better now?"

She nodded, looking at him with some surprise. "Yes, thank you. I'm sorry, I don't think I ever caught your name."

"I didn't throw it," he quipped and then stopped himself. His sense of humor, inherited from his uncle, didn't seem to suit the situation. "My name is Naota," he told the girl soberly. "Now, I think maybe you should tell your friend why he's lying in the woods. I'll leave it to you to sort out the details."

Quickly, she turned to Inuyasha and gave him a strongly edited version of events. "I let Naraku touch me?" the hanyou shouted at last. "These are his clothes? I had the bastard that close to me and I didn't even TRY to kill him?" Oh this was a bad day, he could just feel it. He'd had Naraku within his grasp and he hadn't done anything. He'd never be able to live with that, never. Finally, he sighed and looked back at Kagome. "So, just where the hell is Ranma, anyway?"

"We were just wondering that," a new voice said lightly. Kagome's heart leapt up inside her with happiness when she saw Miroku, Sango, and Akane coming out of the woods. "You're okay," she squealed, struggling to get to her feet and greet them. A ball of fur leapt from Miroku's shoulder to bury itself in her arms.

"Kagome," Shippo bawled. "I was scared you were dead!" She cuddled the fox tight to her chest, nuzzling his soft reddish hair. "I was pretty scared too," she confessed.

Naota started laughing as he helped the young woman to her feet. "It seems like you have plenty of friends to help you now," he teased mildly. Kagome didn't answer but was swiftly gathered into a hug by both Sango and Akane.

"Kagome, we were so scared," Akane breathed, grateful to find both Inuyasha and her friend alive and well. "When I woke up, you were gone. We didn't know why!"

"I'm just fine now," she murmured, holding fast to Sango's waist. Miroku went to stand near Inuyasha. Inuyasha scowled at the monk. "What the hell are you staring at, Miroku?"

Miroku stared hard at him for another moment. "I take it he doesn't remember anything, Kagome?" She shook her head, hoping Miroku would sense that it would be very wise to let the matter drop if possible. He nodded slowly and turned to look at Akane for a second before dropping his eyes. "We can assume that Ranma is still under Naraku's influence then."

Kagome sighed heavily, she was tired and filthy, absolutely exhausted from her harrowing experience. "I don't know what he's planning," she confessed. "He sent Inuyasha and me out to find Koga, he wants his jewel shards. I think that might have just been an excuse. He never intended to catch Inuyasha with that spell, I'm sure of it. Sending us off alone together," she flushed and wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, "was just a sick game of his. I think he intended for Inuyasha to kill me before we ever found Koga."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the hanyou burst out. "Even under a spell, I wouldn't have hurt you. I know that!" His face suddenly went pale and he sat back down heavily. "Kagome, what happened to your shoulder? Tell me the truth!"

"It's not important," she whispered.

Naota stood up, dusting off his legs. This Naraku person sounded like a real fun individual, made him remember why the hell he avoided demons in the first place. "You dislocated her shoulder, Inuyasha," he said dryly, meeting the startled golden gaze. "You may have been under some kind of spell, not remembering who you were or who she was, but you damned well knew you were a demon. And acted like one."

"You're lying," the hanyou shouted, jumping up and getting right in the man's face. "Kagome, tell this prick he's a liar!"

"Your demon side takes control of you, doesn't it, kid?" Naota hissed. "You may not have been fully under the control of your blood this time, but it doesn't change the nature of what you really are."

"Stop it!" Akane shrieked. A dread had been building in her heart ever since she'd awoken with a demon lord's hand clenched around her throat. They turned and looked at the girl, her face was white and tension stood out in her eyes and mouth. Kagome flinched when she realized how the happy, feisty girl had been suffering under the stress of life in the Sengoku Jidai. She looked sick with worry and fear, her face still smudged and her clothing looked ragged.

Sango had also noticed the stress and pain in the young woman and moved protectively closer, one hand moving to soothe Akane's shoulder. "It's okay, Akane."

"I can't stand it," she rasped. "I hate everything about this place, I hate having evil demons stalking us, I hate going to sleep at night wondering when I'm going to be attacked next. If that Naraku made Inuyasha into some kind of monster, what do you think he's doing to Ranma. We came here to find a way to seal off his demon side, not let it run loose!"

"Who is this Ranma?" Naota asked. "Why would this Naraku take such an interest in him?"

"We aren't sure," Miroku said quietly. "He only became a demon recently. He had thought himself human until he encountered a shard of the Shikon no Tama. Then his demon blood awoke and broke the seal that had been placed upon him."

Naota looked surprised. "His demon blood was sealed? That's no easy trick, young monk. It would take an extraordinarily powerful person to do that, only one of the Tai-Youkai would be able to manage such a complex piece of youki magic."

"We don't know who did it," Kagome confessed. "I thought maybe we could find some way to seal it again, but I was wrong. It's been growing stronger ever since it happened. He has terrible nightmares."

Akane bit her lip, flushing a bit. "They weren't nightmares," she murmured, meeting Kagome's eyes. "He thought they were memories, and they weren't his memories. When they took hold of him, he didn't even know what he was doing."

Sango nodded. "Like when we fought that monster at the village. He was in some kind of trance, threw himself on the ground like he wanted you to kill him, Inuyasha."

"Yeah," the hanyou said bitterly. "Just before he yelled out my dad's name. I'd still like to know why the fuck he knew his name of all the damn things to yell."

Inuyasha flinched when Naota's hand grabbed him hard, this asshole was strong for a human, he thought and met the man's eyes and saw a strength and darkness he'd never expected. "He called out for Inutaisho?" he demanded harshly. "Are you sure?"

Inutaisho.

Tai-Youkai.

Dog demon blood sealed by a long forgotten magic.

Inuyasha yanked his arm away from Naota and smacked himself hard in the head. "We are extremely stupid people," he muttered. He spun around and looked at Kagome. "It had to be him. Who else would have sealed Ranma's ancestor's demon blood away?"

"Your father," she whispered. "Why would he do something like that, what would have been the purpose?"

"So that person could have some kind of normal life, so he wouldn't have to worry about the wild youki eating away his soul. Sealed like that, even a hanyou could pass for human."

They stared at Naota, the man seemed to be in some kind of trance. "Who the fuck are you?" Inuyasha whispered.

"Shut up, kid," Naota said harshly. His brow furrowed as he tried to call up memories he'd banished a long time ago. Finally, his eyes rested on Akane, the girl who seemed to care so much for this Ranma. "You're very close to this person, aren't you, girl?"

She nodded uneasily, moving closer to Sango. "Yes," she said in a tiny voice.

His eyes watched her appraisingly. "Are you his woman?" She blushed, oh she turned about five shades of red at that. Naota seemed to look right through her, like he could see what had happened in the woods that night. It was only a few days ago, a week or two at most but she still burned when she thought about it.

His smile answered her hesitancy. "Never mind my improper questions," he said, grinning at her. "Tell me, this Ranma. Does his family have any heirlooms you know of, something like...a katana?"

"How did you know?" she breathed, her eyes going wide. "His mother has a sword, one she says has been in their family for generations."

Naota's smile widened. "That sword is part of the seal. If he hand hold its hilt in his grasp, it might be enough for him to break the spell. Inutaisho's magic is not something that can be thrown aside lightly."

They hesitated, looking at the stranger in their midst who had suddenly burst into their lives with all the answers. Akane moved on instinct alone, stepping closer to Naota. Oh, she could see it now, she was looking for it. That damn smile, so like Ranma's. She reached out to him, putting her hands on his arms and saw a defensive flicker cross his gaze. "Who are you really?"

His hands found hers and squeezed tight. "I'm guessing that you and Ranma traveled very far indeed to come here. Your clothing isn't familiar to me, but honestly, I don't really need to know why. Instinct tells me who Ranma is, you can't guess how? Something pulled me here, to the Western lands of my birth and I had sworn I'd never return."

"You were born here?" Kagome asked, her head cocked to the side in curiosity. "Is that how come you know Sesshomaru?"

"I should know him," Naota laughed. "I grew up with him."

"No way," Inuyasha said, shaking his head. "I don't believe it, not for a minute."

Naota smiled, moving away from them, dropping Akane's hands. "You can believe what you want, Inuyasha," he said lightly. "I was raised in the same household as your brother. My parents died when I was a baby, your father took me in, raised me as a son. I'm very sorry you never got to know him."

Inuyasha's mouth was hanging open, staring in pure disbelief at what he suddenly realized was no human. No hint of youki, no whiff of demon presence at all. His nose told him that this was an ordinary human male standing before him. "Why would my father have done that?"

Naota shrugged, grinning the same happy smile that Akane knew Ranma had inherited. "Well, he was my uncle, I suppose he felt obligated to take care of me."

It was too much to absorb at once, Inuyasha thought. "So you're Sesshomaru's cousin then."

"I'm your cousin too," Naota said sharply. What a nice mess they'd gotten themselves into, seems that Ranma and Inuyasha both had the family talent for making a mess out of their lives. But right now, he had no time to spare for the dumbfounded hanyou or his puzzled human companions. He turned to look at Kagome. "Tell me why Sesshomaru is going after Ranma. I gave up trying to figure out his mind a long time ago."

Inuyasha privately agreed with that statement. His brother was aloof, closemouthed and downright vicious when provoked. But he also had no idea why Sesshomaru would be burning for Ranma's blood.

Kagome did. "He's angry, Ranma killed some friends of his."

"Sesshomaru doesn't have friends," both Naota and Inuyasha said at once. Their eyes met briefly and the newfound cousins smiled at the universal difficulty that was their relative.

Kagome grinned, glad to have actually met someone who claimed to be one of the hanyou's relatives and didn't revile him for his human blood. "He's very angry, he thought Inuyasha was responsible." She flushed and couldn't look at Akane. "I had to tell him the truth, Ranma is the one who killed Namichi."

The effect of her words on Naota was frightening. His face abruptly went pale under his tan, his eyes looked lost, then sickened with emotion. "Are you sure that the name is Namichi?" he whispered. A stab like a blade went into his heart. It had been nearly a century since he'd seen her face, but he'd never forget the taste of her lips or the bright sunshine of her laugh. Oh gods no, he thought, feeling a horror and grief welling inside him.

"She was half kitsune, so she said," Shippo put in, oblivious to the pain that was washing over Naota's face.

"Naota?" Akane murmured, reaching to touch him. He yanked his arm out of her reach. "You need to get that sword," he said, in a voice gone dead of all emotion. "If you want any kind of chance to save Ranma from the demon blood that's eating his soul, you need to put that seal back in place. Whatever this Naraku has done, your friend's life is now ticking away. It won't be long before the madness claims him. If it does, you will have no choice but to destroy him."

Akane raised her hands to her mouth in horror. "Are you sure?" She wished it wasn't true, she begged whatever might hear her to spare Ranma. It wasn't fair, it wasn't his fault!

"I'm very sure," Naota said coldly. He turned away, he had to leave, now, before it was too late to stop his hellbent cousin. Maybe he could reason with Sesshomaru, if the demon lord didn't try to kill him on sight. It was a possibility, as always.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha called out, confused. Naota turned and looked at Inutaisho's youngest son. "I'm going to see if I can keep that bastard brother of yours from murdering my grandson."


	20. Chapter 20

"It's obvious what needs to be done," Miroku said in a calm, mild voice that invited no argument. "Akane needs to go back to her homeland and retrieve that sword."

Inuyasha grunted, picking at his sleeve. Gods, how long was he going to have to wear clothing that stank of Naraku? He shook his head, focusing on Miroku. "No kidding. The sooner we get back to the village the better. I don't know what Naraku has planned for the punk, but I wouldn't abandon my worst enemy to that evil bastard."

Kagome sighed and leaned against Sango as she tried to keep her feet. She was so exhausted, the terror of what Naraku had done to Inuyasha was only just beginning to fade. She couldn't give in yet, Naota had made it plain that they didn't have the time, or rather Ranma didn't have the time, for them to rest and regroup before starting back to Kaede's village. And she felt responsible. She had brought that shard back, she had thrown Ranma and Akane's lives into chaos, and then she had the bright idea of dragging her friends down the well and right into Naraku's hands.

Sternly, she looked around, hoping that Sango and Akane couldn't tell how really tired she was. "Let's go right now," she said, meeting their eyes with resolve. "Akane, Inuyasha moves faster than Kirara, he'll carry you."

"Huh?" Inuyasha was puzzled. "Not that much faster. Kagome, what are you..."

She stopped him by holding up her hand and looking away. His brows flexed into a light scowl. Since when won't she meet my eyes? he thought grumpily. Instead, Kagome looked at Sango. "He's faster than Kirara when Kirara has to carry three people."

He jumped up and glared at her. "Aren't you going back with her?"

Akane was also confused. "Kagome?"

Kagome shook her head and then wished she hadn't. Her head was aching something fierce and shaking it decisively didn't do anything to help the pain. "You will have to take her through the well, Inuyasha. We'll be about a half a day behind you when we get to the village and we don't know how much time Ranma has...or what Naraku is planning."

It made sense, he thought in annoyance. Still, he couldn't help but feel there was something more to her words than just expediting what needed to be done. Did she...did she not want him to carry her?

Miroku had been watching as Inuyasha thought over the matter, looking at the closed expression on Kagome's face. "Uh," he said intelligently. "You're right, Kagome. It has to be this way."

Sango was also catching on that there was something going on between her friends. "Yes," she said, stroking Kirara's head. "Three people will slow her down a little, I don't want her to have to strain herself keeping up. We'll be just behind you, Inuyasha."

He sensed he was being maneuvered, yet again, and decided there was no use in fighting about it or trying to decipher the look that Kagome would give him when she thought he wasn't looking. "Whatever," he grunted, turning his back to Akane and dropping into a crouch. "If we're going to stop that son of a bitch, we've got to move some ass. Get on, wench."

Akane had just enough of being pushed around for one day. "Don't call me wench. I'm not your wench or anyone else's. I've got a name remember?"

Inuyasha rubbed his face. This was getting entirely too irritating. "Okay, you're not wench, you're Akane. Okay, satisfied?"

She nodded and he glared at her. "Then get on my fucking back already!"

"Mr. Personality," she sniped. If she hadn't been so worried sick about Ranma and looking forward desperately to seeing the world she had grown up in, she might have given the irritable hanyou a few more words to remind him that she wasn't any pushover and wasn't going to put up with the attitude. "Okay," she said, putting her hands on his shoulders and feeling just a little uncomfortable. It just didn't seem...proper...somehow, riding on a boy's back.

Kagome muffled a smile at watching her friend try and find a way to get on the hanyou's back. It did take a little getting used to, she thought wistfully. It embarrassed her, she knew as soon as Inuyasha and Akane were out of earshot that Miroku and Sango were going to pressure her for details about what had really happened and why she'd insisted on Akane being the one carried and not herself. She sighed, it wasn't going to be easy, the horrified expressions of her friends was going to be hard to deal with. And so was the knowledge, tacit or implied, that she didn't want him touching her. Not right now, she knew she'd get over it, but right now when she looked at Inuyasha, it was hard to put the thought of what he'd almost done out of her mind. If he ever remembered, he'd be devastated.

Well, she could spare him from that at least. "Just grab on," she advised Akane in something like her normal cheery tone.

Akane grumbled under her breath, putting her hands on Inuyasha's shoulders and leaning carefully into him. "I don't see how..." she began, feeling like this was way too intimate or something.

Inuyasha ignored her and stood up, hands automatically going under Akane's legs to steady her as he hefted the girl into a comfortable position. Akane felt his claws brush her upper thighs and punched him in the arm as hard as she could. "Watch the hands, pervert!"

"You wish," he muttered. Inuyasha turned around, grinning as the girl yelped and grabbed for his hair to keep herself from being flung around like a sack. "I'll see you guys at the village," he said gruffly. Kagome smiled brightly at him, but the smile seemed faint in her eyes. "Don't worry," she said, glancing back at Miroku and Sango. "We'll be waiting when you come back and then we'll go get Ranma."

Akane held on tight to the silver hair and kept her eyes screwed shut. They were moving like a black and silver rocket over the treetops. She knew there was very little chance that Inuyasha would drop her, but it was still unsettling to the point where she felt nauseated every time she looked down. She honestly didn't know how Kagome could have gotten used to this. The speed was disorienting, her thighs were aching from clamping her legs on his hips. Every time the hanyou paused to gather himself for another spring, she had to gulp against the panic that wanted to overwhelm her. She told herself that it was safe, but he occasionally growled and said rude things under his breath and that just didn't make her feel any more secure.

She nearly wept with relief when she saw the village coming up in the distance. It felt like they'd been running for days, in reality it had only been a few hours. Inuyasha grunted and sprang over the trees to land right in the middle of the tiny collection of rustic homes. Dust flew out from under his feet as he skidded to a stop, sending a placid flock of chickens screeching and squawking in his wake as he trotted to a halt. "Ride's over, bitch," he snapped, shrugging his shoulders and sending Akane to the ground.

Inuyasha looked down at furious girl who was glaring at him. Even Kagome managed to keep her feet better than that, he decided, a faint grin crossing his face before he remembered that Kagome had deliberately chosen not to let him carry her. He could have easily borne both females and not hardly slowed his stride. And then Kirara would have had no reason not to keep up with his speed. The notion made him scowl and he reached down to seize Akane by her shirt and haul her to her feet. "You're a little clumsy, aren't ya?" he said in a snide voice.

She slapped his hand away. "You could have warned me before dropping me like that," Akane said peevishly.

He snorted and shook his head. "Well's this way," Inuyasha said, ignoring her angry look. Akane grumbled to herself as she followed him. Like she couldn't have figured that out on her own, there was nothing wrong with her sense of direction. She had gotten somewhat accustomed to Inuyasha's chronic crankiness over the past few weeks, but she couldn't help but notice he seemed to be taking out his temper on her.

"Are you mad at me or something?" she demanded, catching up with him as they approached the glade where the well was located. He shot her a quick look out of his gold eyes and his face seemed to relax a bit.

"No," he answered shortly. "I'm not mad at you, I just want this over with. You and that punk been nothing but trouble, me and Kagome got better things to do than fix this stupid curse."

Akane flushed. "I'm sorry we're so inconvenient. You think I like this? You think RANMA likes this? He didn't ask to be a demon and he didn't ask to get caught in some stupid trap. You were caught in it too!"

Inuyasha snarled to himself as he walked faster, making Akane trot to keep up with him. "Don't remind me," he muttered. "I don't remember a damn thing about what happened."

Akane sensed something in his tone and felt much of her anger start to evaporate. "You don't remember anything? Isn't that weird? Is it like a blank spot in your memory or does it feel like something's blocking it?"

"It doesn't matter," he said, not looking anywhere but straight ahead. "It's done, I don't want to know what I did."

Akane frowned, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "If I couldn't remember what I'd been doing for two or three days, I'd want to know."

"I don't," he snapped. Leave it alone, bitch, he thought. Just leave it alone.

"Why?" she persisted, annoying him with her inquisitive little voice. His ears flattened on his head as they drew closer to the well. Akane shrugged to herself, taking it as no more than a half demon's bad temper. "Kagome was with you most of the time," she said finally, her eyes lighting up as she found the answer to his problem. "She'll be able to tell you what you were doing."

"I don't want to know!" Inuyasha shouted, spinning around and grabbing her shoulders, heaving her into the air before realized what he was doing. "Don't you get it?" he snarled, shaking the girl. "I woke up and Kagome was hurt, she's got scratches all over her and bruises on her face!"

The abject terror in Akane's eyes made him sick and he put her down with an exaggerated gentleness before turning away. "You think you did it?" she whispered, shaking as he let her go.

"I smell her blood on my claws," he said in a low, grief-stricken tone. "I can't remember a damn thing, but I did it. I can't deny it, Akane. I don't even want to think about what else I could have done."

The self-loathing in his voice stopped Akane cold, forgetting that she was angry with him in the first place. They had reached the well and Inuyasha stared into its depths like salvation or rescue was somehow just beyond his reach. Everything was fucked, that was for damn sure.

Inuyasha jumped when her hand hesitantly touched his back. "It will be okay," she said, hoping she could comfort him. There was so little she could do in this place, it made her feel helpless. And helpless was not how Akane Tendo had been raised, she absolutely hated it. Slowly, her arms curved around the hanyou, she could feel his muscles go rigid at the contact, unwilling to be comforted in the face of his unremembered sins.

"She knows you didn't mean to do it," Akane whispered, pressing her face against the embroidered spiders on his back. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Inuyasha. Kagome knows that you only want to protect her."

His arm came around her back and swept her forward, holding her in a decidedly too intimate embrace. She didn't breathe for a moment, some kind of nonsense running around in her head, but all he did was jump to the ledge of the well. "Thanks," he said tonelessly as he didn't look at her face. "Let's go get that damn sword. If something happens to Ranma, I'm never going to hear the end of it from Kagome." And then he jumped and Akane clutched his arm when the light spangled darkness swallowed her up and remade her on the other side of eternity.

Akane was just hoping that Ranma's mother was easy to find. She decided to head straight home, if Nodoka and Genma weren't there, she could call them and explain the situation. That would probably be for the best, she didn't think it would be a good idea to take Inuyasha running all over Nerima. Not that her neighborhood wasn't used to strange sights, she thought it might be best if they kept this quick. Her eyes darted over to her companion and she managed to stifle a giggle that was half exhaustion. Kagome's brother had lent him a baseball hat to cover his ears, but Inuyasha still looked like a walking advertisement for a samurai movie.

Luckily, they didn't have far to go and Akane managed to lead them to her home without encountering anyone on the street. Relief flooded her when she stepped inside and took in the familiar sights and smells of where she'd grown up. Suddenly, everything seemed manageable and she grinned up at Inuyasha. He just scowled at her, flicking his fingers to make sure she knew he was in a hurry and this was no time for her to go all mushy on him. "Dad?" she called out, looking for her father. He should have some idea where to find Genma and Nodoka.

There was no answer and Akane gestured at Inuyasha to follow her as she went through the house. "Kasumi, Nabiki?" she asked, looking around the spotlessly clean kitchen. Her sisters seemed to be out, as well as her father. Akane frowned, wishing that just for once she'd have an easy time. It had been too much to hope for that she'd find her father and Ranma's parents quietly having tea together. She glanced back at the hanyou. "I think they're out or something, come on. We can wait in the dojo until they get back.

"Keh," was the only answer she got and Akane took it for an affirmative. The dojo was also deserted and Akane sighed to herself, remembering her playful lessons with Kagome. Now she understood completely why her friend had been so interested in learning a few martial arts moves. She needed them to defend herself in the Sengoku Jidai and Akane's smile grew wistful when she thought about how Kagome had probably learned her archery skills. Shooting demons left and right, purifying the living hell out of all evil. It wasn't exactly on the freshman curriculum at school but she'd bet anything that Kagome was going to take top marks when she took history courses next semester.

"Wait here for me, Inuyasha," she said at last. "I'm going to make a few calls, see if I can locate my dad. He usually hangs around with Mr. Saotome and that's the best way to find Ranma's mother. You just make yourself comfortable, hopefully it won't take very long."

"It had better not," he muttered, watching the short haired girl run out of the room. What kind of place is this, he wondered, looking at the smooth wooden floor and equipment stacked neatly against the walls. Seemed to be a lot of space for just one small family. In the Sengoku Jidai, this much space could house two or three human families, he thought, running clawed hand along the walls. He'd never had much interest in all the marvels of Kagome's time. They smelled bad, he hated the thick air of this place, this city she called it. Not enough trees, all the natural features of the landscape covered up in metal and stone. It gave him the creeps, like it was only a play city, something Naraku would think up to confuse and confound him. So far, other than Kagome herself, the only useful thing this place seemed to have produced was ramen.

He was just starting to wonder about that, thinking of ramen noodles and wondering when was the last time he'd eaten. At least Akane could find him something to eat if he had to wait here. His gaze darkened menacingly. As long as she didn't do the cooking herself, he hoped to hell that girl could at least boil water. He'd do it himself if he needed to. Inuyasha started to turn around, getting ready to look for the girl when he heard a footstep just behind him and whirled around, one hand already reaching for Tetsusaiga in case it was an attack.

The hanyou stopped, staring. A huge black and white bear was standing on its hind legs and peering at him from the doorway. There was some kind of intelligence about the creature's gaze, Inuyasha's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. A demon of some kind? A shapeshifter? He wasn't quite sure and bared his fangs at the monster just to make sure it thought twice about making a go for him.

It thought twice all right. The bear's eyes grew even wider and it bolted away from him, moving far faster than he would have guessed for a beast its size and still running on two legs like a normal man. "Wait," Inuyasha shouted, suddenly realizing it was probably a tame creature if it was trained that well. The bear stopped, turning around and of all things, suddenly took a defensive stance and growled a challenge.

Well, what else could he do? Inuyasha wasn't someone who could back down, but he didn't see any reason to start a fight either. "Look, whatever you are, I'm not here to hurt you, I'm just looking for someone."

The bear growled and jumped for him, moving with surprising grace and speed. Whoever trained this one did pretty well, Inuyasha decided, nimbly jumping out of the way. His baseball hat fell off in the process and the bear seemed to be startled by his ears. This was no ordinary bear at all, the half demon decided. Inuyasha held up his empty hands, trying to pacify the animal.

"Okay, you're probably too dumb to understand this," he began.

The black and white bear snarled angrily, apparently insulted. Inuyasha sighed at it came at him again. "Why do you want to do things the hard way?" he demanded. He couldn't kill it, hell, it was probably Akane's pet or something like that. He could just hear the screaming that would ensue if he beat the hell out of it. But he wasn't going to stand here and be attacked either. He dodged again as the bear came after him, finally winding an arm around its neck and using his demonic strength to haul the animal down.

A kick from behind surprised him and Inuyasha looked up to see a very angry looking human approaching. The man had long hair and a mustache but his eyes were full of fury. "How dare you invade my home and attack my friends, demon?"

Oh, this had to be Akane's father. "Look, mister," he said hotly. "This damn bear attacked me while I was waiting for Akane..."

"You know my daughter?" Soun Tendo asked, looking suspicious.

"Yeah, I know the bitch," Inuyasha started to explain.

A fist caught him completely off guard and he let go of the bear before he realized it. The bear snickered nastily at him and Inuyasha felt himself starting to get pissed off. Annoyed, he spat blood on the clean dojo floor and glared at the human. "What the fuck was that for?"

"How dare you call my baby girl that filthy name?" Soun snapped. The bear rumbled an agreement and Inuyasha suddenly found himself being attacked by both human and animal, his face and body being hit over and over by angry rapid paws and fists. He covered his face, trying to duck away. "Hey, this is a misunderstanding!" he yowled. Damn it, did they want him to attack them or something, he was really getting to the end of his patience with the whole thing.

Oh fuck this, he thought and jumped straight into the air, over their heads. He kicked the human's legs out from under him and bodyslammed the bear into the floor. It did help to be several times stronger than he looked. Growling menancingly, he dragged them together, planting a clawed hand at their throats and snarling like a true demon. "I'm getting sick of this shit," he said, his eyes glittering dangerously. "I ain't here to kill nobody but you two morons are seriously pissing me off!"

A cold sharp edge suddenly slid under his jawline as he knelt over his captives. Inuyasha slowly turned his head, looking up into the angry face of a woman, one who was holding a katana at his throat as if she meant to use it. "Let them go," she ordered, her eyes hard.

He sighed. It was so not his day. "You'd have to be Ranma's mother, wouldn't ya?"

Akane finished her story, looking anxiously back at her father and Nodoka as she did so. Ranma's mother's face was pale, hearing about how her son had been attacked and ensnared by a foul demon who would use him only as tool for murder and destruction. "Oh my poor son," she murmured.

Soun was holding an ice pack over his face and still shooting glares at the hanyou who was lounging a few feet away. Inuyasha's face was a scowling unconcern for the combined problems of the Saotomes and the Tendos. He just wanted to get the hell out of this place and back to Kagome. Even if she didn't want to be anywhere near him right now, he thought, his face black with anger. Naraku was going to pay for that, he was going to pay for every bruise and every scratch on Kagome's body, he was going to pay his life's blood, by the gods, for putting that look of horror in her eyes. Inuyasha unconsciously clenched his hands, his claws digging hard into the floor and gouging the wood.

"Excuse me," a pretty girl said softly, leaning over his shoulder. "Please do be careful of the floor, I'm sure you don't mean to damage it."

"Uh," he said, looking up at her smiling face. One of the sisters, he hadn't thought to catch her name. The other one had moved over to sit on his other side, staring fixedly at him.

"You're really a demon?" Nabiki asked. The fangs and claws seemed pretty demonic, but she was fascinated by the pretty silver-white hair as well as the drop dead gorgeous shade of those eyes. More than the other two Tendo sisters, Nabiki at least had an appreciation for handsome young men. Even Ranma wasn't bad to look at, it was when he opened his mouth that his charm went straight downhill.

"Half-demon," he muttered, looking away. He wasn't here to discuss his heritage, damn it. Why couldn't Akane just grab the stupid sword so they could go? "My mother was human, my father was a dog demon."

"Oh that explains these adorable ears," Kasumi sighed, reached out for them. Inuyasha froze as the girl's fingers started to rub the soft white triangles. He'd rather eat fire than admit it, but that was his big weak spot. His knees felt like jelly and he closed his eyes as Kasumi continued to massage his ears, completely oblivious to the reaction it was causing.

Nabiki had noticed, giving a quick glance over at her father to make sure he wasn't looking. Quickly, before he could realize what she was doing, she caught up a handful of the silky white hair. "You sure are pretty for a demon," she teased, noticing how his golden eyes were completely unfocused at the moment. "Kasumi, I think he really likes that."

"Of course he does," Kasumi cooed, rubbing harder. Oh gods above he was just going to melt into a puddle now. "All sweet doggies like being petted, doesn't it feel good, Inuyasha?"

I think she just called me a sweet doggy, he thought, too muddled to defend himself. Nabiki's hands were straying too, playing with his hair and wandering over his chest. His head had dropped forward and the hanyou was starting to growl softly, purring almost from the intense pleasure that Kasumi was inflicting on his ears. Nice girls, he thought, letting his spine relax and giving himself over to the attention. Good thing Kagome couldn't see this, he'd just die of embarrassment at letting them pet and stroke him like this.

"He's really a cute one," Nabiki grinned, starting to knead his shoulders.

Kasumi laughed lightly. "I'd say so, he's absolutely adorable." Playfully, she leaned in next to him, her fingers stilling on his ears. "What a sweet little..."

In a daze from the combined massage and ear-rub, Inuyasha didn't realize that his instincts had taken control of him when he reached out to catch Kasumi's face, pull the startled girl in close and licked her right on the nose.

"Oh my!"

"Kasumi! Nabiki!" Akane was staring at her sisters, wondering just what the hell possessed them to crawl all over Inuyasha like that. "Leave him alone, he's not a toy!"

Disappointed, the girls took their hands off him and Inuyasha sighed. He shook himself hard to throw off the daze they'd put him into and jumped to his feet, hands planted aggressively at his hips and gave the room a withering glare. "Are we gonna get out of here or what? If Naota was telling the truth, Ranma doesn't have much time left."

"Just a moment," Soun said, frowning. "Akane, if Ranma is under a spell, don't you think he'd be dangerous to you? I wish you'd wait here for him, let Inuyasha take the sword. I'm just thinking of your safety."

"I'm not a child," she snapped, scowling at him. "I would never abandon Ranma, not now when he needs me!"

Nodoka made a pacifying gesture at the angry girl. "No one is saying that you should abandon him, dear. Your father is right to be concerned. The curse is very strong, think how Ranma would feel if you were injured."

Akane bowed her head for a moment. "Think how he would feel if he wakes up from it and I'm not there. He'll think I didn't trust in him to beat this thing. He'll think that I ran away when he needed me the most. I can't do that to him, Mrs. Saotome."

The panda grunted and reached for the cup of hot water that Kasumi had just carried into the room. He dumped it over his head and Inuyasha stared, his eyes going wide with shock. The hanyou crouched next to Genma, staring at the man in fascination. Finally he shook his head and just looked disgusted. "What is it with you people and the fucking water? First Ranma turns into a bitch when he gets wet, now I find out that you weren't even a damn bear. Is everybody here cursed like this?"

Genma grinned. "Just those of us unfortunate enough to visit Jusenkyo."

Inuyasha sniffed hard at him. So that was why the bear didn't smell like a bear. "This is just sick," he muttered, standing up and walking away. "Akane, come on. We don't have time to waste yammering with your family."

"I'm coming," she snapped back. She faced her father. "Please don't worry, daddy. As soon as we get this sword back to Ranma, he'll be himself again and no one will get hurt. I promise to come home safe and sound."

Tears filled Tendo's eyes at her quiet resolve. "Oh my baby girl," he cried, grabbing the girl in a strangling embrace.

Nodoka chuckled as she freed Akane from her father's deathgrip. "Now, Soun. You've trained her to take care of herself. Akane needs to see this thing through." She turned the girl to face her, brushing back her hair. "Now you take good care of yourself and that son of mine," she said fondly, kissing Akane's cheek.

"I will," Akane said, smiling happily. Inuyasha snorted, muttering something under his breath. Akane playfully punched his arm. "Come on, you cranky excuse for a half demon," she grinned, tugging him towards the door.

Outside, the warm feeling carried Akane for several steps. She was pleased that Ranma's mother trusted her to do this, it would have killed her to be forced to sit at home, not knowing how Ranma's fate was being decided. In spite of the danger, she felt sure that the katana would rescue her fiancé from whatever darkness Naraku's spell had done to him. Ranma wouldn't give up now, she knew it in her heart. Akane wouldn't give up either.

"Your family is fucking weird," Inuyasha growled. He'd been attacked, threatened and molested all within an hour. He was starting to wonder why he let Kagome ever come back to this strange world with it's unknown rules and customs. Surely she was safer with him on the other side of the well.

Akane laughed. "I'd have to agree with you on that. My family is sort of unusual, but they mean well. At least most of the time."

"Yeah, I could tell that from your sisters," he grumbled.

She smirked. "You looked like you weren't fighting too hard, maybe I shouldn't have rescued you after all."

"I didn't need rescuing, bitch," he snapped. "I can take care of myself, I'm sure not afraid to fight off a couple of girls!"

"Next time I won't step in," Akane laughed. He just gave her another disgusted, annoyed look and dropped to his knees. "Get on, damn it. No sense in wasting any more time in this damn place."

She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "No, people will stare at us, I can walk back to the shrine."

Inuyasha scowled and grabbed her arm. "Don't argue with me, just get on."

She tried to yank her arm away from him with little success. "Let me go, you asshole!"

"Get on my fucking back, bitch!"

"No!"

"Unhand that woman, villain!" Akane and Inuyasha stopped arguing to watch as a tall figure approached them from the gathering shadows. "Oh god, not now," the girl muttered, covering her eyes.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Yeah, yeah, yeah....I know. Long time no update. I have no excuse and humbly throw myself at your feet and grovel for forgiveness. This story isn't dead (neither is Space Hanyou, for those who are interested) but it has been sleeping! I promise it will be done soon! Only a couple chapters to go! And I must give props to Maxv...who has translated Cursed into Russian and posted it on a Russian fan site. You. Rock. I can't even think about how much work that must have been. Big plate of gratitude cookies for you!!!**

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Inuyasha glared as the tall young man approached. "One does not sully the beauty of such a rose with coarse handling," the young man said lightly. "You will apologize for your insults to Akane Tendo."

Akane Tendo seemed to be trying to hide behind him, Inuyasha thought. The girl's face was bright red, a blush of pure embarrassment. "Kuno," she said at last. "Now is not the best time."

Oblivious to the young girl's discomfort, Kuno smiled patronizingly at her. "Sweet Akane, I would never allow you to suffer the insults of such rabble. I must defend your honor, my love."

"I'm not your love," Akane hissed, ducking out from behind Inuyasha. "Why don't you ever listen to me?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, trying to help. "You should listen to the wench, she ain't asking you for help, asshole."

"You shut up," Akane barked, sounding much like Kagome when she was in a particularly foul temper. "You aren't helping anything by running your stupid mouth."

"Don't call me stupid, bitch!"

Kuno couldn't take it anymore. "You will not speak to Akane Tendo like that, not and keep your life!" He drew a shiny katana from its sheath and gave Inuyasha a challenging stare. "I see you also carry a blade," he sneered. "I challenge you to a duel of honor. You will pay!"

Inuyasha scratched his ear, one of the reasons he hated wearing the hat was that it made his ears itch and muffled all the sounds. "He's not serious, is he?"

Akane sighed. "I'm afraid so. I'm really sorry about this, Inuyasha."

"It's okay," the hanyou sighed. It seemed like nothing was ever going to go smoothly for him. It would have been too much to ask just to simply get the sword and make it back down the well without incident. Wearily, he drew Tetsusaiga. "Okay, jackass. Whatever you want."

Kuno stared at the rusted blade. "You're going to fight with that useless piece of junk?" he demanded, deeply insulted at the very idea of crossing blades with such trash. "It wouldn't even cut paper."

"I know what it looks like," Inuyasha snapped, aware that he himself had made the same mistake when he'd first seen his father's sword. Why Totosai and the old man had created something that looked like a discarded antique that any self respecting bandit wouldn't even pick up, he had no idea. And he didn't care either, as long as it did what it was supposed to.

Kuno's expression was distasteful. "I am embarrassed that I even challenged you."

Inuyasha flushed, out of patience with this human's insults and challenges. "I don't know who you think you are, bastard," he growled. "But I'm starting to like the idea of teaching you a lesson."

Kuno smirked, catching Akane's eye with a confident wink. "I am Tatewaki Kuno, kendo champion of Furinkan High and master of the blade. My peers call me the Blue Thunder and you have made a grave mistake by invoking my wrath." The young man reached into a pocket and threw a rose at Inuyasha's feet.

The hanyou just stared at him, his annoyance forgotten even. "Is he always like this?" he asked.

"Pretty much," Akane sighed. This was going to get ugly. "Kuno, please," she said, trying once again to reason with a moron. "Inuyasha doesn't want to hurt you."

"Hell if I don't," the hanyou muttered. "I'm just in a hurry to get back to Kagome, I don't have time to waste on this idiot."

"Fear not for me, sweet Akane," Kuno answered with a cavalier gleam in his eye. "I will defend you and put this ruffian in his place. Be on your guard, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha readied himself for the blow, the young man came at him swiftly, executing a perfect textbook stance and admirable footwork. Inuyasha found himself pressed to meet each skillful blow, half wondering how much damage he would have to give the young swordsman to get him to back off. His moves were clumsy compared to Kuno's, bringing his sword up to meet Kuno as if he was more accustomed to fencing with tree branches. Finally, Kuno got close enough to actually touch him, his katana making a merry slash that ripped open Inuyasha's sleeve.

Kuno spun around gracefully and offered a condescending smile. "Do you concede?" he asked arrogantly, taking in the flash of anger in the young man's strange golden eyes.

"No," Inuyasha answered. "I'm not conceding. I'm just getting started." He willed a pulse of energy to ignite Tetsusaiga's true form. Kuno stepped back in shock as the deceptive blade suddenly tripled in size, becoming insanely huge and glowing with malevolence. "Still want to take me on, Blue Thunderbutt? Inuyasha taunted.

Kuno's eyes flashed angrily, gripping the hilt of his own katana. "I'm not backing down," he muttered, meeting Inuyasha's eyes with angry challenge. "It's not the size that matters, it's your skill with the blade!"

"Figures you'd say something like that," Akane murmured, sitting down on a nearby bench. She held Ranma's mother's sword tight in her hands. "Inuyasha, don't play around," she snapped peevishly. "We've got to find Ranma!"

Inuyasha just smirked and brought the blade down in a powerful strike, shaking the ground under them like a small earthquake. Kuno stood frozen, a hot angry wind tore at his hair and he sensed that if anything, the strange looking young man was holding back the sword more than actually using it. He dropped back, crouching as he held his blade in a defensive stance. "You can't intimidate the Blue Thunder!" he shouted.

"No, but I can kill it," Inuyasha answered gleefully.

Akane was horrified and jumped to her feet. "Inuyasha, don't you dare kill him!" she screamed. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm done playing nice, bitch," he snarled, showing Kuno his fangs at last. "You're more arrogant than even Sesshomaru," the hanyou grinned. "But at least he's got something to back up that mouth. I'm going to enjoy cutting you into little pieces." Tetsusaiga flashed forward, moving like a lightning strike and Kuno suddenly found himself holding half a sword. The glowing monster had cut his katana's blade like it was soft butter, Kuno actually saw melted steel on the hilt. His eyes were full of the glowing energy and he dropped to his knees, expecting his execution now that he knew he wasn't going to survive. His last thought was only regret that he'd never gotten any further with the pigtailed girl. He closed his eyes.

"Inuyasha, no!" Akane screamed as the hanyou ran forward swinging the blade down in a killing stroke. Annoying as Kuno was, Akane didn't want to see him killed, not over something so stupid. Wild thoughts raced in her head and she wondered if Naraku's spell had truly been lifted from the half demon, his eyes were glowing with a manic joy as he made ready to separate Kuno's head from his body. Her hands went to her mouth in horror and Akane couldn't look away as Inuyasha attacked.

The hanyou suddenly stopped his headlong run, driving Tetsusaiga into the sidewalk just in front of where Kuno was kneeling and struck the young man a savage blow with his fist instead. Kuno sprawled unconscious, a thin trickle of blood leaking from his mouth. Inuyasha turned to Akane with a purely demonic smile. "What? You didn't really think I'd kill him over that, did ya?"

She sighed and grabbed a handful of white hair. "Come on, you idiot. You're every bit as bad as Ranma. I can totally believe that you're related now."

Snickering, the hanyou followed her. "I don't deserve to be insulted like that. At least I'm not the one in love with him."

"Who said I was in love with Ranma?" the girl seethed. "You've got a lot of nerve making assumptions like that, dog boy."

"Oooohh," he said mockingly, taking her arm and pulling her along when she didn't walk fast enough for him. "I think someone's a little bit touchy. You think I've missed the big cow eyes you give him when he's not looking?"

Akane yanked her arm out of his hold. "What about you?" she shot back. "You think I'm blind, I see the way you look at Kagome."

"That's got nothing to do with it," he answered hotly, his cheeks turning red.

"Oooohh," she answered, her eyes glinting. "Now who's touchy?"

"Shut up, you don't know anything," Inuyasha sneered.

"I know more than you, dummy!"

"You're the dummy, you shut up about it!"

Akane laughed. "Oh come on, Inuyasha. Can't you tell I'm teasing you?"

He whirled around, scooping her up sword and all and tossing her over his shoulder. "You talk too much."

Giggling, she beat on his shoulder as he walked quickly to the shrine. "Put me down, you big oaf! People are going to stare at us. I live in this neighborhood you know."

"Then they won't wonder why," he grinned and even went so far as to slap her on her rump. "Hey," she protested, struggling against him now. "Don't get touchy feely with me!"

"You call that touchy feely?" Inuyasha was having fun teasing Akane. When they'd first met, he had thought her a little humorless, so serious and grim about helping Ranma with his curse. Now that he'd seen the real Akane, he guessed she was more than a match for Ranma. He flicked a claw against the back of her thigh and was rewarded with a squeal of outrage. "Never argue with the guy who's got the bigger claws," he advised.

Akane snickered and took Nodoka's sword both hands and brought it down with a sharp smack on the hanyou's ass. "Put me down or you're gonna get it!"

"Wench," he growled playfully. "If you do that one more time I'm going to give you a real spanking you won't forget."

"I'd like to see you try it," she taunted back.

With a grunt, he slid her from her shoulder, grabbing the katana in one hand and her wrist in the other as he hauled her over to a bench. "I didn't wanna have to do this," he said, sounding tired.

"Inuyasha, stop," she begged, half laughing as he pulled her across his knees. "Don't you dare!"

Vaguely, he wondered where the hell he was going with this, Akane's body was soft across his legs and he suddenly blushed when he realized what Kagome would think if she could see him. "Uhhh," he said, hesitating.

"Get your damn hands off her," a voice bellowed and Inuyasha suddenly found himself thrown on the ground with a flurry of hard strikes to his face. He threw up both hands to fend off his attacker, rolling on the ground and coming up with Tetsusaiga drawn and ready. His nose twitched and he faced the furious young man, feeling anger starting to boil up in his body at the strange but familiar scent. "Who the fuck are you?"

Akane was clinging to the young man's arm, holding him back. "Ryoga, knock it off! He's a friend!"

Ryoga pushed her behind him. "Didn't look too friendly to me," he growled. "I won't forgive you for striking my Akane!"

"Your Akane," Inuyasha echoed, staring at Ryoga with undisguised disgust. "Wench, how many guys do you have chasing you anyway?"

"Ryoga doesn't chase me," she snapped, planting her hands on her hips. "He's just a friend!"

Inuyasha didn't miss the shudder that went through the young man's body at her words. Ouch, he winced in sympathy. He abruptly felt sorry for the poor guy and lowered his sword. An aura of profound depression was starting to surround Ryoga's body and Inuyasha's ears twitched, feeling something building. "Ah damn it," the hanyou muttered.

A blast took him off his feet and Inuyasha lay on his back looking at the sky. "No human should be able to focus ki like that," he muttered. "I shoulda trusted my goddamn nose." He jumped to his feet, annoyed the punk had knocked him on his ass twice already and he hadn't even done anything wrong. Tetsusaiga pulsed to life in his fist. "I've had enough of this shit, Akane," he snarled, advancing on Ryoga with murderous intent in his eyes. "Every five minutes somoene is trying to kick my ass, what the hell is going on? You got some kinda curse yourself, the kind that makes trouble follow you around?"

"You should talk," Akane yelled, shoving Ryoga out of the way. "Ever since Kagome took us through the well someone has been attacking us! You can't tell me Naraku never would have gotten his hands on Ranma if he wasn't already coming after you!"

"Akane?" Ryoga looked confused. "Who is this guy...he's got dog ears!"

Inuyasha slapped his hand on his head, realizing that Ryoga's attack had blown his hat off. "Fuck you," he snarled at Ryoga. "Don't pretend you don't know a hanyou when you see one, I can smell the wolf demon blood in your veins!"

"The what?" Ryoga exclaimed. The guy was crazy, that much was obvious. First he was dressed like a reject from a samurai movie, he had a bizarrely huge sword that glowed like a tiny sun, his hair was well past his ass and he was going on about hanyou and demons. Ryoga threw a protective arm around Akane, backing them well away from the nutcase. "Akane, what psycho ward did this guy escape from? Was he trying to kidnap you?"

"No," she said wearily, hoping he'd listen better than Kuno had. "He's trying to help me, Ranma's in trouble and Inuyasha is our friend who..."

The pavement shattered and Akane squealed as she dodged chunks of cement. Inuyasha had brought Tetsusaiga down in an angry blow that shook the street and sent cracks running in every direction. "For the last time," he snarled, his eyes glinting. "I am NOT that punk's friend!"

At this rate, they were going to have to repave most of Nerima, she decided, looking around her as people were stopping to stare. "I'm sorry, Ryoga," she said, tugging at his arm. "We have to go, I don't have time to explain."

"You aren't going anywhere with that asshole," Ryoga said, looking down at her with concern. "He's nuts, did you see what he just did? He'll hurt you."

"The hell I will," Inuyasha yelled, sliding his sword back into its sheath. Ryoga's eyes boggled as the six foot plus blade went neatly into an impossibly small container. "You're the only one I'm going to hurt, wolf demon."

Akane was at the end of her strength, she just couldn't take it any longer, how long had it been since she slept? The girl burst into tears, sobbing into her palms from frustration. Ryoga blushed, looking embarrassed. "Don't cry," he begged. He couldn't stand it when she cried.

"I have to save Ranma," she wailed. "He's in real trouble, don't you get it? He's going to die, he's going to kill people, torture people, and he'll get himself killed if I can't get this katana to him in time to break the spell."

"You stay here," Inuyasha said gruffly, feeling pity for the distraught girl. "I'll get the damn sword to him, I promise it will be okay."

She clutched the scabbard to her chest, frantically shaking her head. "No, I have to go to him, I'm the only one he'll listen to, Inuyasha!"

"I'll go with you," Ryoga said at last. He couldn't keep her from going to Ranma, he knew her that well. And he couldn't just let her go off with her insane looking new 'friend' either. Akane looked over at Inuyasha, who just shrugged. "Like I give a damn," he muttered. "Let's just go."

* * *

Sango looked around her, glad to see the village coming into view. Hopefully they'd have a chance to rest a bit before Inuyasha and Akane returned. She hoped Kagome's friend was right in her assumption that it wouldn't take long, if everything Naota had told them was true, Ranma was in serious danger.

And so was everyone else, the slayer shuddered at the idea of the kind natured young demon being used for mayhem and destruction. And destruction it would be, Ranma had proven himself to be a powerful inuyoukai. However he'd been afraid of his growing strength, and his diminishing humanity, she felt as a slayer she couldn't in conscience allow him to continue as he was. She and Miroku had a quiet discussion when Kagome wasn't listening. If Ranma couldn't be saved, they understood what needed to be done. Sango hoped it wouldn't happen. Kagome would feel terribly responsible and Akane would be devastated. She sighed, not wanting to cause pain to the friendly girl, but this was what she had been trained all her life to do.

Kirara's paws touched down on the soft grass with barely a whisper and Sango leaned over to dismount, only to find someone's wandering hand had been awaiting just such an opportunity. This time he had the nerve to give her a squeeze and a pinch! With an almost demonic snarl of anger, Sango whirled around and decked the monk, her strong hand leaving an imprint of her fury on his face. "Damn you, Miroku," she snarled, angered to the point of using his given name instead of his title. "With everything that's going on you still can't keep that hentai hand to yourself?"

He rubbed his face, looking amused as always. He must really love pain, Sango thought with disgust. "In case you've forgotten," she said waspishly, "we are trying to stop Naraku and there's every chance that it will be dangerous."

"Exactly, my dear Sango," Miroku answered calmly. "If we are to face a great battle, I wish to remind myself what we're fighting for."

"We are not fighting for my ass," Sango yelled, her fists clenched.

His eyes twinkled at her. "I'd say it's definitely worth fighting for."

Kagome sighed. "Please," she said, sounding ages older than she was. "Can't you stop fighting for now? I'm really to tired to listen to it."

"Kagome, are you okay?" Shippo asked anxiously. He clung to her as the girl dismounted the fire-neko and headed for the path that would take her down to the village. Oh what she wouldn't give to go the other direction and hop down the well. She would like to sleep for about three days, the girl mused. After taking the longest, hottest shower in the history of Tokyo. Maybe that would get the creepy crawly sensation out of her skin or drive away the hateful memory of Naraku's laughter. She hugged the little kitsune tight. "I'm okay, Shippo," she said at last, stroking his soft hair to soothe herself. She was so glad that the fox hadn't seen the way Inuyasha had turned on her, threatened her, hurt her. She didn't think that Shippo would be so willing to forgive it, not even if it was Naraku's doing. It was going to be hard enough for her to deal with.

In all the time she'd spent in the Sengoku Jidai, fighting the monsters and evil demons who preyed upon humans, she'd never felt so close to actual physical danger. Not the kind where she could be killed as much as the part where she was dealing with something that really, truly wanted to cause her pain. Just for the fun of it. Before, she'd always been defiant, like it wasn't real. Part of it was because before she'd had Inuyasha to protect her. Even from the beginning, when he'd hated her just for smelling the least like Kikyo, he'd protected her. Almost like it was a helpless instinct he couldn't resist. It had nothing to do with the rosary, Kagome thought. Oh sure, he'd said it was because of the jewel, his own motives at the time. And she'd thought that meant there was something more to him, she'd known it, more than just a violent brat of a half demon. Now that she'd seen his other side, she wasn't sure she could be so sure.

Don't be stupid, Kagome, she told herself. It's not his fault, he didn't know who he was, he didn't know who you were, it was all part of Naraku's deception. That wasn't the real Inuyasha, that wasn't the real Ranma, so you've got to put it behind you.

Only, what if she was the one who was wrong? She'd seen his full demon side before, it scared the living hell out of her, but she got past it. He had a harder time with what he'd done. She'd seen too many dark memories haunting those golden eyes, too much...shame. Kagome bowed her head as she walked, still absently stroking Shippo's hair. She did not want to tell anyone what had happened, not because of her feelings, she knew she could deal with it. But, oh my god, Kagome thought, wincing as a tear dripped down her cheek. Inuyasha wouldn't get over it, he'd never forgive himself...for striking her, enjoying it. For making her terrified of him, for trying to hurt her and for almost....

Stop it, she told herself. Don't think about it, it was not INUYASHA!

Shippo could smell Kagome's tears and felt the tension riding her arms as she carried him. Something very bad had happened, he knew it. Something more profound than a hurt shoulder or some bruises. Shippo felt the hackles stand up on the back of his neck. He understood better than most what real demons were like and the little fox felt a tiny growl starting in his chest. They all seemed forget about that, that he was a real demon too. Just because he was young and not as powerful as Inuyasha or as smart as Miroku or as skilled as Sango, didn't mean he wouldn't die to protect Kagome. She was everything to him, surrogate mother, protector and friend, comfort when he'd lost everything else. That was part of the reason he fought so much with the hanyou over everything from ramen noodles to who got the last piece of fish. It was competition.

Shippo leaned his head against the girl's shoulder and closed his eyes. Competition...it was the bane of demon nature. He knew that Kagome loved him and that she also loved Inuyasha. To a certain extent it was sibling rivalry, both of them competing for the alpha female's attention. He'd been a bit leery of Miroku for the same reason, seeing the human male as a threat to what was working out to be a fine foster family. Shippo grinned, as if the monk had ever had a chance. The stupid dog was good for that much at least, that and keeping other demons like that wolf Koga at bay. He wondered if Kagome understood that and guessed not because she seemed to encourage the wolf demon every time they ran across him, making Inuyasha even more angry and jealous. Did she do that on purpose, he wondered, his tail twitching as she carried him down to the village. Maybe. Maybe not.

He'd be a strong demon someday, Shippo was sure of it. Most other demons thought that kitsune were playthings at best, devious little tricksters at worst. Not honorable youkai capable of defending their homes and families, just silly little forest dwellers. They would discount kitsune blood as trivial. That Namichi woman had seemed honorable and she hadn't looked at him like he was just a silly fox. She was half kitsune herself and she said it with pride. Now he found out that not only was she that, she had been strong enough to matter to someone like Sesshomaru. That astonished him and not just because the Tai-Youkai terrified him. Shippo was sad that she had been killed, he was glad he hadn't seen it happen. He was glad he hadn't seen Inuyasha attack her, having been knocked unconscious by the same blow that had stunned Akane. He was glad that he hadn't seen Ranma murder her either. Kagome had tried to keep it quiet when she'd told Sango and Miroku the details, but he'd listened anyway. Shippo snuggled tighter against Kagome for comfort, he was glad Kagome hadn't met the same fate.

Sango stopped when they reached the village, her eyes going wide. Something was very wrong. She looked back at Miroku, seeing the same shocked look on his face. "Houshi-sama?"

"I see it, Sango," he ground out, his fingers clenching on his staff and a hardness settling in his eyes.

Kagome stopped too, looking up at her friends with confusion. "What?" she asked, not understanding, not seeing, partially due to her exhausted state and also her distraction. "What's the matter?"

Miroku gestured at the village, waving his staff to indicate something out of place in the sight before her. Kagome looked carefully, everything seemed exactly as the last time she'd seen it, nothing was out of place, not so much as a single wooden hut looked damaged. It was quiet and calm, just like she'd expected. Then like a thunderbolt out of the sky, like a hammer to the skull, it hit her.

"Where are all the people?" she whispered. There should be villagers about, working the fields, tending the fires, children chasing each other around the the homes and old aunties sitting in the sun. The village was completely deserted, not so much as a stray chicken pecked its way in the hard dirt.

Kirara roared suddenly, a challenging sound and Sango yanked Hiraikotsu from her shoulder, her eyes wide and searching around her. "Go Kagome!" she shouted, looking over her shoulder and into the forest, searching for a nameless threat. "Go to the well, go get Inuyasha!"

Miroku grabbed her shoulder and shoved her hard. "Go, damn it! Whatever it is, we'll try to hold it until you get back."

Kagome didn't need to be told again, she dropped Shippo like his soft fur had burned her and ran for it. Whatever had happened, whatever instinct her friends were acting on, it made dread rise like bile in her throat. She ran faster, heading for the well. She knew where Akane lived, surely Inuyasha and her friend would be coming back, they should be back very soon. How long had the village been like this, she wondered frantically as she plowed through the forest. How long since Inuyasha and Akane had left? They wouldn't have gone if there'd been a problem at the village, would they? Not when they needed to make every second count, did they even stop at the village? She had no way of knowing but Kagome felt anger and grief clenching her heart as she raced home.

The well, it was there. All she had to do was jump inside, it would take her home to safety, home to her mother's house where nothing wrong could ever touch her. And Inuyasha was there, she felt it so certain. Kagome slowed as she made for the well, readying her legs for the jump that always seemed endless. What kind of trust did it take to leap between worlds and through time? She didn't know, but she knew right down to her little pinkies that the well would open for her, there was no doubt at all. She jumped.

And was plucked out the air as neatly as if she were a songbird caught by a falcon. All the air in Kagome's lungs exhaled in a whoosh as a hard arm connected with her torso, painful against her already sore ribs and she was swung like a rag doll in his grasp. Her hands instinctively reached out, finding his face even as he landed on the soft grass, moving gracefully, like a dancer almost in an elegant display of skilled movement. She found herself held firmly against a rock hard chest, arms like steel crushing the small bones of her back in a grip intimate and cruel.

Funny, all she could think of was that his eyes were supposed to be blue, not raging scarlet fire. The dark slit pupils contracted as his lips widened in a predatory grin, showing fangs twice as long as they should have been.

"Hello there, Kagome," Ranma said, his nose only inches from hers. His tongue slipped out and licked a hot trail from her jaw to the top of her cheekbone. "It's so nice to see you again."


	22. Chapter 22

Akane looked into the well, biting her lip as she peered into the darkness. This time she knew better, there was more than just spiders to be afraid of. Her hands tightened on the katana's sheath and she squared her chin resolutely. There was more at stake too, she wouldn't let down Ranma's mother or her friends.

Ryoga looked doubtful as he peered over the edge. "You sure about this, Akane?"

The girl shrugged. "It worked the last time."

"Of course it works," the hanyou said peevishly, looking most impatient to be on their way.

Akane smiled at him. "Don't worry, Ryoga. I know it's strange, but it will be over in a minute."

"Just jump in," Inuyasha said, looking at Ryoga contemptuously. "Don't be a coward."

"I'm not a coward," Ryoga answered from clenched teeth. "I just don't believe any damn dry well, on a shrine's sacred grounds or not, is going to take me into the warring states era. Give me a break."

"So don't go," Inuyasha said challengingly. "There's the door, you can find your own way out." For some reason his words made the young man flush and grip the edge of the well.

"No," Ryoga said in an annoyed tone of voice. "I'm going, just to keep an eye on Akane."

She smiled at him and tucked her hand into his. "You're so good to me, Ryoga. I really appreciate your help."

That made him smile sheepishly, ducking away and blushing. "You're welcome, Akane. There's nothing I wouldn't do to help you."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Inuyasha muttered, studying the ceiling of the shed. Humans and their attitudes, it was enough to make a half demon cringe. Even from a human who had youkai blood somewhere in his heritage, something about this Ryoga grated on his nerves in a way that only a certain cocky wolf normally inspired. He did not have time for this crap. "Get in the fucking well already!"

Ryoga still hesitated, not wanting to lose face in front of Akane. "You're sure about this?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah, you should be able to get through just fine. You got demon in you somewhere."

"I don't believe any of that," Ryoga said stiffly.

"Don't matter to me what you believe," the hanyou countered. "Just jump in fast, don't hesitate or try to climb in slowly. It's best to just jump all at once."

"Whatever you say," the young man muttered. He glanced back at Akane reassuringly. "I'll be waiting on the other side." Then he crouched slightly before leaping into the air, falling gracefully down the shaft of the well. And hit the ground hard with a painful crunch and muffled yelp. Inuyasha sniggered. "Dumbass."

Akane glared at him. "You knew he couldn't get through," she accused, shaking her finger at him. "You have to be with whoever goes in, you or Kagome. You knew that!"

"Yeah," he grinned unrepentantly. "He'll go through when I go in with you."

She shook her head. "You have a real mean streak to your personality, Inuyasha."

He chuckled happily as he took hold of her arm to make the jump himself. "I know. Runs in the family."

* * *

As soon as Inuyasha climbed out the well, he knew something was wrong. Maybe it was just the way the wind made his nostrils twitch, maybe it was pure youkai instinct. Maybe it came from being paranoid by nature and his intuition told him nothing was ever going to be easy. In any case, he paused for a long moment when he climbed out the well, carrying Akane Tendo on his back but leaving Ryoga to climb out on his own. Akane stared at him, still holding Ranma's mother's katana firmly in her hands. "Is something the matter?" she asked him.

Inuyasha waved his hand, annoyed. "Shut up," he muttered, tasting the breeze with all his senses. He wasn't sure but, oh something was up. "We got a problem," he muttered.

Ryoga put his arm protectively around Akane's shoulders. "What kind of problem?" the boy asked suspiciously.

His eyes firing golden in the fading light, Inuyasha looked down at Akane in all seriousness. "He's already here."

She swallowed hard. "Ranma," Akane whispered.

"What's the problem with Ranma?" Ryoga more or less hoped that something had at least knocked the cocky martial artist of his high perch. Saotome could be insufferable at times, more full of himself than anyone had a right to be. If this other demon had really gotten to him, there was no telling what kind of trouble was in store for them. Ryoga had no intention of being caught in the backlash of whatever had struck this time and there was no way in hell he was letting Akane pay for Ranma's mistakes either. "What kind of problem?"

Inuyasha didn't answer, but he turned and sprinted out of the glade like someone had set fire to his heels. "The river," he yelled over his shoulder. "I think he took them down to the river."

Not good, Akane decided grimly. She gave Ryoga a quick poke in the ribs. "You gonna stand there all day?" she barked, grabbing the front of his shirt to drag him off. They went at a quick pace after the hanyou, Inuyasha didn't wait for any human but Kagome, and then with grumbles and assorted bitching. He didn't know why the idea of the punk taking the whole village down to the river bothered him so much, but it did. He just wanted to be in time, he hoped that nobody had had to die yet. Under a fucking spell or not, Ranma was going to eat Tetsusaiga's edge if he'd so much as put one hair on Kagome's head out of place. Damn right he would.

"So nice of you to join us, brother," a soft voice hissed from the trees. Inuyasha had burst out the forest to find the whole village was sitting on the river bank, looking for all world like an unwilling group of sightseers. Actually, the looked just like a crowd of angry, anxious and scared humans. Some of the babies and smaller children were crying, their mother's comforting them as best they could. He could see Kagome holding Shippo in her arms, watching for him. Her face lit up in gladness when she caught sight of him and Inuyasha felt something tight in his heart give way, at least she wasn't angry at him anymore. "Okay, punk," he growled. "What game are you playing now?"

Ranma laughed, hanging from his knees from a branch in the nearest trees. "Game?" he inquired pleasantly. "What makes you think this is a game, brother?"

"I ain't your fucking brother," the hanyou snarled. One asshole relative was enough in his opinion. He did not need two, Sesshomaru was all the brother he could stand having, damned if he was adopting Ranma or anyone else.

The young demon gracefully flipped off the branch, moving with a predatory elegance as he approached Inuyasha. "Naraku said she might have turned you against us," Ranma murmured, his mouth curved in a cruel smile. His fangs glinted, looking long and sharp in his mouth. Inuyasha met the glowing scarlet gaze and didn't flinch. He knew where Ranma was, at least he thought he knew. It was a hard road back to sanity. He sniffed the air and was relieved when he didn't smell any fresh blood. The killing hadn't started yet, he was glad he'd gotten back in time. "You need to let these people go," he growled.

Ranma blinked at him. "What do you mean?" he asked in a sweet voice. "They're free to go anytime they want."

Inuyasha shot a look at Kagome, hoping for a sign from her about what was really going on. The girl shook her head and pointed at the ground. Holding his eyes, she brought her finger up and over their heads as her arm formed an arc in the air. A barrier, he guessed. It figured. With a snotty glance at Ranma, Inuyasha stomped over the area where Kagome and Shippo were standing, Miroku and Sango right behind them. The villagers looked frightened, maybe of the menacing expression the half demon was sporting, maybe because of Ranma, he couldn't be sure. Slowly, Inuyasha reached out a claw towards Kagome. His hand suddenly burned like he'd buried it in a hot bed of coals. There was a small angry flash of yellow light and he yanked his hand away. An answering shock from the inside and all the humans screamed in agony.

Ranma snickered. "If you try to break that barrier, you'll kill them. I used their living ki to build it. Destroy that barrier and each of those humans dies. I'm just going to leave them there and see if you can figure a way out of it before they all starve to death. I'm wondering if they might eat the little ones first, you know, to spare them."

Akane gasped and backed up into Ryoga. She'd never heard anything so horrible and she'd never thought she'd hear it from Ranma. "Ranma!" she shouted, her voice full of pain. "Stop it already before someone gets hurt! You always have to go too far and make an idiot of yourself!"

The inuyoukai cocked his head, frowning at her. "Did you get yourself another girlfriend, brother? I don't know where you found that one, she's sort of...uncute."

"What?" the girl shouted, outraged. "You got a lot of nerve, Ranma! If those people weren't in danger, I'd just leave you here instead of trying to save you! Moron! Conceited pervert!"

"Definitely uncute," Ranma smirked at Inuyasha. The hanyou sighed. When you were right, you were right. "Don't look at me," he muttered, determinedly looking away. "She's not my fiancée, she's yours."

"Did I lose a bet or something?" Ranma wanted to know. Somehow injured innocence and disdain were hard to pull of when you had glowing red eyes. "You want I should just kill her first?"

Okay, that was it. "Nobody's killing nobody," Inuyasha snapped. "You let Kagome go, the rest of them too or I'm going to pound dirt up your ass until you puke mud, punk."

I could have lived without that visual, Akane decided, fighting the urge to be sick at the thought.

Ranma laughed again, the cold, mocking laugh that she'd first heard a lifetime ago back in the dojo. How can he just forget about me, Akane wondered miserably. How can he just turn his back on everything and everyone who loves him? There's got to be Ranma in there somewhere, I just know it. "Here," she said suddenly. "Take this sword Ranma. It's your mother's sword."

"You think I need my mommy's widdle sword to beat his ass?" Ranma sneered, cracking his knuckles. "I don't think I'm going to need anyone's help ever again. I'm just going to get more and more powerful. Naraku thinks I'm his ally for now, but I've got a few surprises for him too. You can join me, Inuyasha. If not, you can die like the miserable humans you want to protect."

"Working for Naraku never brings anyone happiness," Miroku called out. "He's using you, Ranma."

Ranma didn't answer, his eyes were fixed on Inuyasha. "What's it going to be?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You've been pissing me off since I met you, punk. Even if Naraku is controlling your mind, it's still going to be a pleasure kicking your ass." He slipped Tetsuisaiga from its sheath and let the blade transform in his hand. "I've been waiting for this," he hissed.

"Ranma," Akane whispered, cringing back at his coldly insane expression. The young demon whipped up his hands and sent a pulse of golden youki right at her, intending to fry her where she stood. Inuyasha made a desperate jump straight up in the air and came down between Akane and the deadly energy, just barely managing to block the strike in time to save the girl's life. Ryoga grabbed Akane and pulled her to side and out of danger. "You son of a bitch," the outraged young man snarled. "Have you lost your mind, Ranma?"

Inuyasha didn't move when Ranma turned his angry gaze on Ryoga. "Do I know you?" he sneered.

Ryoga flushed and swallowed hard. Now that he thought about it, the creature standing in front of him really didn't look like the Ranma he knew. There was a resemblance, but the black hair was twice as long, magenta facial markings and long fangs distorted his face and as for the eyes… Ryoga shuddered, not liking whatever it was and decided that Ranma had really managed to fuck himself up good this time.

Ranma moved swiftly, closing the distance between himself and Ryoga, seizing the young man by the front of his shirt and hoisting him high into the air. The angry inuyoukai sniffed the air, his reddened eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Why do you smell of pig?" he demanded.

Something heavy slammed into Ranma, knocking him to the side and forcing him to drop the shaken Ryoga. Ranma snarled, turning around and tearing at his attacker with sharp claws. Inuyasha hit him hard in the jaw and spun around to bring the blunt edge of Tetsusaiga down on his head. "If you want to kill anyone, you gotta go through me!"

"That's not going to be a problem, bastard!" Ranma screamed. He kicked Inuyasha hard in the chest with both feet, sending the hanyou sprawling. Inuyasha bounced back swiftly, never letting go of his sword. "Come on, punk," he shouted. "Make it interesting this time, I'm going to hand you your ass on a platter."

"Just fucking try it," Ranma hissed, circling around. Ryoga dragged Akane away and up the riverbank. "Let me go," she cried, struggling with him.

"No," he answered. "Whatever it is, that's not Ranma, he'll kill you just as easy as look at you. It might have been Ranma once, but it's not anymore."

She elbowed him hard, making him let go. "That's why I have to make him take this sword," the girl screamed. "Don't you get it? The sword will reverse this spell he's under if I can just get him to take it."

Ryoga was doubtful, watching the strange demon battle with Inuyasha. Ranma laughed, obviously enjoying himself as he struck again and again at the hanyou. He jumped away, swiftly evading Tetsusaiga's edge and came down a few feet from the river. He brought his palms together and sent a powerful wave of youki into the earth. Inuyasha braced himself, but was still blown completely off his feet and flew several yards away and fell with a splash into the river. He came up sputtering and swearing.

"How's the water?" Ranma taunted, grinning.

"Find out for yourself," Inuyasha snarled. He didn't want to use Tetsusaiga's true power, fearing it would kill Ranma rather than subdue him. If only the stupid brat would take the sword, they could settle this easy. He brought the massive blade up again, pausing for just a moment as he tried to decided how to aim the blast. Nope, everyone was getting wet this time. He brought the blade down into the river with a yell, energy pouring off its surface and sent a shock of water racing over the edge to drench everyone.

Akane gasped and fell to her knees as she was drenched, looking up to see Ranma standing on the riverbed, looking annoyed and not realizing that his form had changed. "Brilliant," she whispered. "I didn't know Inuyasha could think that far ahead. Ryoga, did you see that? Ryoga?" He was gone, Akane looked confused and searched around her. "Ryoga?"

"Was that supposed to be impressive?" Ranma asked in an acid tone. Only problem was, his voice was suddenly much higher. She looked down at her body, her red eyes going wide with shock as she found her form had changed. "You son of a bitch," the angry demoness screamed. "What have you done to me?"

Inuyasha grinned nastily, still standing dripping in the middle of the river. "What's the matter, forget you turned into a bitch sometimes? Maybe Naraku will make you his mate when he sees how pretty you really are, Ranma."

Fury darkened the female's face, her eyes glowing with incandescent anger. "Change me back!"

Inuyasha leaned on his sword with an insolent sneer. "Can't do it, wench. You'll have to submit if you want me to tell you how to reverse it. Until then maybe you should leave the fighting to the males and let those people out of that barrier. Or do you want to be a bitch for the rest of your life?"

Ranma was shaking, she was so angry she couldn't see straight. The power was building in her arms, flickering past her fingertips. "I'll see you in hell before I surrender," she screamed, unleashing a terrible wave of youki right at Inuyasha. He brought the sword up, deflecting most of the energy into the river. Water blasted around him, filled with heat of Ranma's fury.

Akane ducked as hot water splashed around her. "Oh no," she murmured.

Ranma stared at himself, male again. "What the hell is going on?" he yelled, furious that his body was changing against his will. "Am I under some kind of spell or curse? I'm going to kill you for that!"

Making sure Inuyasha could see him clearly, he reached into his shirt and pulled out a small vial. He shook it meaningfully and glared at Inuyasha, who froze, knowing what was coming. "Ranma," he said softly, the rest of the people around them could barely hear his words. "Don't. You don't know what you're doing."

"I know that this jewel shard increases a demon's power," the youkai sneered. He crushed the bottle in his fist, picking out the glowing shard. "That's why you're after it, that's why Naraku wants it. I'm done playing with you, asshole. Let's see what happens when you see my real strength and power. I gave you a chance to join me, but I'm just as happy to kill you now instead."

Kagome rushed forward, stopping just in time to keep from frying herself on the barrier. "Inuyasha, don't let him do it!"

It was too late, the hanyou ran forward, raising Tetsusaiga for a mighty swing but Ranma had already jammed the jewel shard into his arm. It pulsed and the young demon was nearly taken off his feet as the jewel sensed the evil raging inside of him and corrupted. Dark power filled the boy's body, pulsing with insanity, misery and corruption. Insane laugher echoed around them and Ranma screamed, reveling in the new power he felt, the power of pure evil and hatred. He would be unstoppable now.

Inuyasha stopped, crouching down slightly as he came out of the water. "Kagome," he shouted urgently. "What do we do?"

"I don't know," she wailed, watching as her friend's aura continued to darken. "I don't know how to stop it."

"I have to kill him," Inuyasha said grimly. "I'm sorry, Kagome!"

"No," Akane wailed, racing down the edge of the riverbank. "Ranma, please," she sobbed, running up to him. "Just take the sword."

He focused on the girl standing so near him, smelling her blood and her fear. Delicious. She would be the first to satisfy his hunger for death. Akane choked, a clawed hand wrapped around her throat and slowly lifted her. She kicked wildly, still clinging to the sword with one hand. Ranma squeezed her neck tighter, enjoying the grimace of pain on her face. "Watch me, brother," he said, his voice a harsh and grating hiss. "This human will be the first to die, then the others after her. I will not spare any!"

Akane struggled weakly, her vision starting to fade. "Please, Ranma," she said, looking into those soulless red eyes. "I love you."

The demon looked startled, her words made no sense and he dug his claws into her neck, her blood trickling over his fingers. "What did you say, bitch?"

"I love you," she gasped out. Her hands came up in front of her, offering him the sword like a prayer. "You love me too. Don't you remember?"

He didn't, he didn't remember. But something about her face, contorted in pain, going dark with the blood trapped by his fist and the smell of her tears tugged at the back of his mind. Who was he? There was a jewel singing to his senses now, filling him with dark desires to destroy. His blood was hot in his veins, urging him to crush the pathetic mortal's life, destroy her. Only…he hesitated. Her smell was so familiar, her tears somehow compelling him. He didn't want to remember her, he didn't want to be compelled to spare her. No, it meant nothing to him who she was or who he was. What he was now was all that mattered, the darkness bursting forth from him like angry wind of destruction and pain. All he needed to do was to tighten his claws and the little girl's neck would snap, her bones crushed in his fist and her blood would flow dark and rich over his hands.

He was going to do it, but something else was happening. She'd shoved the hilt of a sword into his free hand and his fingers automatically took it, drawing the blade from its sheath as if he'd been waiting his entire life for that one moment. Why? Did she want him to use the sword to kill her?

Ranma screamed when white hot light suddenly poured forth from the sword, its blade flaring like a tiny sun. It hurt like no pain he could have imagined, it went well past the limits of physical agony and transcended them. It burned like he'd thrown his arm into a container of acid, eating at his skin and dissolving his bones. Ranma found himself babbling helplessly, wailing and shrieking, but it was all inside of him as he still stood in frozen stasis with a girl dangling from one hand and a burning fury in his other. He couldn't unclench his fingers, they were glued to the hilt of the sword and with a sudden shock of pain and realization, Ranma lost what was left of his mind.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: We're getting there! I think the next chapter will be the last, but there might be two more. Hell if I know! Wheezi's just along for the ride.**

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Funny thing was, he couldn't remember how he'd gotten here. He was flat out face down on the ground, arms sprawled gracelessly in front of him and he didn't know why. Last thing he could remember, he'd found out he was the victim of a rather unpleasant family curse. As his life wasn't complicated enough, Ranma thought, slowly moving to get his hands under him. His body ached, for some reason he didn't know why and as he pushed himself off his face, the young martial artist's eyes went wide and he looked around him in wonder. What the fuck was going on?

He was on his knees on a windswept hillside. The breeze was cold, cutting into his bare face and the chilling him through the rents and rips in his clothing. He didn't know this place and yet somehow he did. A memory of a dream he'd once had, if he looked behind him he was sure he'd see an army decamping and making preparations. If he moved farther down the mountainside, he'd come to the scene of an immense slaughter. The Azaryu made their last stand against Inutaisho's forces here, the boy thought in sudden instinctive knowledge. He knew this place, he remembered...everything about it. Ranma shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. If that was true, he'd look up and see some huge son of a bitch heading his way with a massive sword. Execution time.

He wasn't sure why he remembered it so clearly, he was Ranma Saotome and he didn't care a damn thing about ancient dog demon wars. Hell, he'd not even known such things existed until just a few weeks ago, when a new friend had accidently set his family's curse loose on him. Now he was starting to get really fed up with the whole experience. Looking like a demon wasn't so bad, but he was tired of remembering things about other people's lives. He had enough trouble keeping his own act together, he didn't need to be reminded of a past that wasn't even his to own. These memories belonged in someone else's head and Ranma stubbornly rejected the idea of paying for anyone else's mistakes. Damn it wasn't his fault these things happened to him, he was just one unlucky guy.

"Feeling sorry for yourself much?" a deep voice asked him, tinged with amusement. Ranma started and looked around wildly. The man walking up to him was something out of a nightmare. Imposing and grimly attired, he looked like an ancient general which, Ranma reflected, was exactly what Inutaisho had been. He didn't want to know how this was happening, but Ranma wasn't going to back down. He deserved some fucking answers for this hell he'd been through, put Akane thorugh. Wherever he was, Akane was somewhere else and worried about him, he just knew it. "I know who you are," he said harshly, glaring at the man who came to stand just in front of him.

"Good," the dog demon said, the wind picking up and whipping his white hair around his face. "Saves me the trouble. I know you too, Ranma Saotome."

"How do you know my name?" Ranma muttered. For some reason he expected the youkai lord to call him someone else, one of the names that didn't make sense but he still recognized them in his heart.

Inutaisho smiled and gestured around him. "We're inside your head, boy. How could I not know who you were? I don't know your face, but you remind me of my nephew. I can only guess that you're one of his descendents if you're unlucky enough to have broken my seal."

Ranma's eyes boggled for a minute and he sat back hard on his heels. "You know about that?" he asked, staring up at the inuyoukai. "You're supposed to be dead."

"Yeah I get that a lot," the old dog rumbled, grinning at him. Inutaisho gestured around him. "Why here, Ranma? This is one of my most unpleasant memories, not one I enjoy revisiting, let me tell you."

"I didn't choose it," Ranma exploded, getting angry now as the demon implied this was all his fault. "I just woke up, I didn't ask for any of this and you know it."

"I only know what you know," Inutaisho returned, staring at him with narrowed eyes. "You broke the seal that would have kept your demon blood quiet for eternity. As the one who made that seal, I'm a little pissed off about this myself."

Ranma just glared at him, if the son of a bitch knew what he knew, then he knew it wasn't Ranma's fault. It was the stupid Shikon whatever that had broken the seal, not him. "Just put the seal back," he snapped, irritated. "That's all I fucking want, I just want to go home."

Inutaisho scratched his chin reflectively. "Can't do it," he pronounced at last. The golden eyes slid away from his, looking almost regretful. "Sorry, kid," he said at last. "There's nothing I can do to save you now."

"I'm stuck like this?" Ranma whispered, horrified. Oh wonderful, it was permanent. Not even the glimmer of hope that a dip in a particular spring could cure his troubles. "I get to spend the rest of my life looking like a damn demon."

The youkai lord looked back at him. "Cheer up, it won't be a very long life."

"There's more?" Ranma burst out. "It's going to kill me too?"

"No," Inutaisho answered, his voice neutral. He slowly reached to his side, moving like the regret for what he was doing wanted to overwhelm him. "I'm going to kill you myself."

Ranma reacted instantly, springing away from the demon lord like he'd been burned. "Kill me? Damn it, you're supposed to help me. It was your seal that broke, I didn't do shit to make this happen!"

"I know," Inutaisho said, drawing his sword. Tetsusaiga pulsed and became the huge fang of its true shape. "It's not fair, but I made a promise to my nephew. Never again."

"Never again what?" Ranma asked, continuing to edge away from him. He wasn't going to give up and go quietly, hold up his chin and let the old dog lord slice his head off. No way, they could get someone else to play this game, he was going to fight until there was nothing left to fight with. He'd promised Akane they'd get through this and he didn't want to let her or anyone else down by getting killed.

"I made a promise," Inutaisho answered, his voice going still and grim. "I told Naota if the demon blood I sealed in him ever broke free and killed again, I would end it forever. I made him that promise, to kill him, or any of his descendents before letting them become monsters. I always keep my promises."

"Nobody asked me," Ranma yelled, furious and ready to defend himself. "Go find that Naota guy and cut his damn head off then. I haven't killed anyone!"

"You can't hide it from me," Inutaisho hissed, advancing on him. "I can see your true nature, you can't run away from it forever. I instilled my essence, a tiny sliver of my youki, in a special sword I gave to my nephew. It was just an ordinary human blade, but if that seal broke it would call me and bind me to my oath."

Ranma snarled at him, ready to use his claws even if he didn't want them. "You won't find me easy to kill, I'll never stop fighting."

Inutaisho looked sad, leaning on the blade as if it were a branch or walking stick. "I know," he said quietly. "You're going to be willing. I'd feel better if you fought for your life, you deserve that much. I don't think you will though, not when you look at what you've done."

"What are you talking about, asshole?" Ranma asked suspciously. The demon lord smiled again, wistful and filled with ancient regrets. "Just look over your shoulder," he advised.

He couldn't help himself, he had to look, he had to know. Ranma turned and found himself falling suddenly, the earth giving way under him as he tumbled. He struggled against the murky feeling, time sliding along his nerves and a hot wind blowing across his ears. "Look, Ranma," the voice of the dog demon general echoed in his thoughts. "Remember."

He saw himself and Inuyasha, he saw them advancing on a village with predatory intentions. He watched himself laugh as the humans ran from them in fear. Ranma's body started to shake as he watched himself, realizing this was no dream, this was no nightmare for him to wake from. This time the memories belonged to him. He watched himself tear some guy's head off with joyful abandon. He watched as Inuyasha ran a human woman through with his sword and he did nothing to stop it. Then he saw himself finding a human child, grabbing the little boy by his hair and...

"No," he shouted, tearing himself away from the scene and bolting for the woods. He ran like there were demons after him, his heart pounding in his chest as he couldn't stop the tears that poured down his face. It wasn't true, he wouldn't do anything like that. This was some damn trick, something created to make him believe he was the monster, he was the one out of control. Stumbling now, he didn't know where he was going as he encountered thicker forest. The young demon tore at the hanging underbrush with his claws, fighting to make his way through the tangled branches and vines that blocked his way. The more he fought, the thicker and more impassable the way became until he was surrounded by vines that reached for him of their own power. He screamed angrily as the vines wrapped around him, holding him and trying to suffocate him. He fought with everything he had but they only bound him tighter, twisting around his arms and legs, strangling his throat. He shouted again and a thick vine wrapped his face and cut off his furious protests and he couldn't breathe at all.

Ranma. Remember.

He found himself watching again, staring down at a peaceful looking scene. A large house, an estate really, was nestled snugly in a wide, beautiful valley. A crystal lake, shining like a mirror of heaven, was near the house and the early light of dawn was just creeping over the mountains. Everything was beautiful, the manicured gardens that were the current lady's pride and joy, the elegant lines of the buildings, the graceful architecture of the place that spoke of many years of careful planning. It was a pretty place, a peaceful place and the sight of it filled Ranma with a nameless dread that made his very soul go to ice inside him. I have to warn them, the young man thought desperately. I have to warn them that he's coming and...he not himself, he's lost his mind and they're all in danger. I have to try to save the children, it's what she'd want me to do.

He couldn't move, his legs felt like they were rooted in stone. What the hell, Ranma thought, trying to lift his feet but he might as well have been planted in cement. He looked down at the soft grass under his bare toes, feeling some kind of energy swirling around his ankles and keeping him in place. No, he thought, trying to dig at the ground with his claws. No, please, I don't want to see this, I can't watch this, please don't make me!

You have to see, the old dog demon's voice whispered in his mind. You have to understand.

I don't want to, he snarled at Inutaisho, he couldn't see the demon lord but he felt his presence around him everywhere. Ranma's eyes were drawn to a solitary figure coming out of the woods, only a few yards from him where he stood looking over the Sutakasi estate. The man didn't look at him, didn't see him but Ranma wanted to cringe at the guy's face. It was terrible, his eyes were glowing red pits and there was no trace of sanity in his face at all. Only anger and hatred, a gnawing, needful pain and desire for revenge. The hanyou was lost to his demon blood now and Ranma knew what was coming, as the predator laughed and ran towards the home where his wife and children were still sleeping.

"Inoki!" he shouted, his voice lost against the winds of memory. "Don't do it!"

Blackness overcame him then and Ranma was grateful he wasn't about to be forced to witness the destruction of the Sutakasi clan. I'm not like that, he thought stubbornly. I would never become a monster, never hurt the people I love. This is all a huge mistake, I just want to go home with Akane.

Inutaisho's voice whispered in his mind. "Don't believe me yet, boy? You think you're different? You think your mortal soul can protect you from the darkness inside of you?"

"Can't you just take it away?" the boy begged. "Can't you just take this demon whatever out of me, I didn't even know it was there to begin with. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hurt anyone, I just want it to stop!" Nothing in his years of training had prepared him for this, nothing Ranma had ever experienced had made him ready to do battle with an enemy that lived in his very blood and fed on everything he'd ever hated. If he could get his hands on it, he'd happily destroy the demon himself. Ranma wasn't big on thinking, he liked to think of himself as more about action, but right now it would have taken a team of psychiatrists years to muddle through the confused and aching mind he was trying to navigate. "I'll do whatever you want," he shouted desperately into the air. "Just tell me what to do!"

The youkai lord appeared in front of him, imposing and ruthless. "You can't fight what you deny exists," the lord hissed at him. Ranma watched as the shining blade was drawn again and held upright between them. Images swam on Tetsusaiga's surface, rippling like waves of heat coming off a sweltering highway. He grew dizzy with how fast they were moving, it made him nauseous.

"You're trying to confuse me," Ranma said thickly. "You're trying to trick me into doing something. Why?"

Inutaisho's eyes narrowed, surprised that the boy was that perceptive. He backed off a few feet, gave the bewildered youkai some breathing room. "I'm not trying to trick you," he said at last. "I don't want to do this."

Ranma's eyes widened, realizing that he was dealing with just the barest glimmer of the powerful youkai Inutaisho had been. He really isn't much more than a ghost of a ghost himself, the boy decided. The curse and his oath bound him, but Ranma comprehended suddenly that this was his head, his mind they were standing in and he was the one who was in control of it. Trembling slightly, a grin starting to bloom on his face, he raised his hand and touched the demon lord.

"You can't do it," he said triumphantly. "You can't kill me!"

The dog lord looked annoyed. "You're an obnoxious little brat, you know that, kid?"

Ranma laughed out loud, relieved beyond words. "You need me to be willing to die, you can't just cut me up with that damn sword because you aren't really here, I'm not really here. It really is just like a dream and everyone knows you can't die in a dream."

"That's not exactly the truth," Inutaisho said softly. "You might not be able to die, but you might be able to kill. At least in your mind anyway."

Ranma grinned at him. "You're nowhere near as powerful as the Inutaisho that made that seal, I can already tell you can't so much as nick me with that sword. What are you going to use to kill me? Harsh language?"

"I'm starting to see why people want to beat the snot out of you," the demon snapped. "You're a lot of trouble, Ranma Saotome. I might not be the real Inutaisho, I might be just the ghost of his memory, but I can still fulfill my oath. You don't know a damn thing about what you've done."

"What?" the boy asked sarcastically. "Ever since this damn curse got dropped on me, not that I didn't have enough curses already, I've done nothing but try to keep myself alive."

"You done bitching yet?" Inutaisho asked sweetly. He might not be the dog general in the sense of his power, but he had his memories and he recalled that he didn't take shit off snot nosed punks like this. "I can't believe the sheer perversity of the universe that left me stuck in your head."

Ranma snapped his fingers. "Bitching? You don't think I've got anything to bitch about?" His anger was building, injustice after injustice, humiliation after humiliation, it had come to a head inside him and he was at long last in the position to make his fury known to someone who had a part in it. "This is your fucking fault, great Daimyo or whoever the hell you are! You sealed off that demon blood and it was just waiting for a chance to get free. I didn't even know about it, you think I liked waking up with fangs and claws? That's sheer perversity for you!"

"Speaking of sheer perversity," Inutaisho grinned, enjoying the verbal blows that were exchanged. "What do you think of my sons?"

Ranma flushed, his head thrown back in anger. "They're both homicidal maniacs," he shouted, letting the demon's calm demeanor enrage him. "And you got the balls to stand there and call me a monster? Inuyasha's the one who wants to attack everything he sees and that damn Sesshomaru tried to kill me practically the first second he met me!"

"Ah," Inutaisho smiled fondly. "Impulsive, isn't he? Just like his mother, all beauty and grace on the outside, pure murder on the inside. What a demon she was, I tell you..."

"Would you please focus!" Ranma shouted, frustrated by the old dog. "My point is," he snarled. "You're here to 'kill' me because I turned into a demon, a monster, but your own sons are every bit as bad."

"I didn't promise my sons to seal their youki away," the demon said quietly. "I promised your ancestor, my nephew. Naota was no monster, but that's how he thought of himself when the demon blood took over his body. He begged me to seal it away forever, kill him if I couldn't. How my sons learn to deal with their darkness is their own affair. Naota...had to find his own way and this oath and that seal was the best I could offer him."

"So I have to die?" Ranma asked, dropping his anger and staring into the ghostly golden eyes. "You promised him and now I die for that promise? My answer is no, I won't give up. I have too much at stake and too much to fight for." Akane!

Inutaisho glanced away from him, saddened by what was about to happen. Damn kids, why didn't they ever listen? "All right, Ranma," he said at last, sheathing the blade. "You win. I can't expect you to give up your life willingly, even Naota didn't choose that. But you're the one that will have to live with what you've done. Eventually, your demon blood will subside, you might even learn someday to control it. I accept that you're no ordinary human and no ordinary demon. If anyone was born with a strong enough will to fight the darkness, it would be you."

That was a little more like it, Ranma felt his spine straightening at the Daimyo's praise. In those ghostly eyes, he was beginning to see traces of the legend Inuyasha's father had become. "I'm glad you see it my way."

"I certainly do," the Daimyo said in a voice both deceptively mild and soft. "Do you know where you are?"

Ranma blinked. "You said we were in my own mind..."

The demon lord shook his head. "No, boy, where your physical body is right now. Do you know what you're doing?"

He thought about it, concentrating. A face swam before his eyes and he grit his teeth. "Naraku." He was suddenly furious. "He did something to me, made me forget who I was."

"More than that," Inutaisho said, his tone going hard and sarcastic. "He filled you with anger, rage and paranoia. He gave you something that would not only bring out your inner darkness, it would eat at your human soul. I want to know how you're going to deal with what you've done."

Ranma flinched, thinking of the village. "I don't know, but I have to try."

Inutaisho's eyes narrowed. "And that you killed innocent humans? You can live with that? Why do you think so, was it because they were just nameless strangers and you were under a spell? What if you destroyed someone else...someone you cared for?"

He couldn't move, it was like he was frozen in place. "No," he breathed, denying it.

"And if it was someone you cared for," Inutaisho hissed. "Maybe a girl you cared for? Would you want to live with that?"

"You're lying," he screamed. "I could never hurt Akane! You're trying to trick me again!"

"See yourself for what you are," the dog demon shouted, taking Tetsusaiga and slamming the blade into the ground. Light poured from the katana, poured from the crack it split under him and Ranma fell into the brightness, shouting Akane's name.

He could see her clearly now, he could see himself. A tall, insane monster stood next to a river, a helpless young girl dangling by her throat from a hard clawed hand. In his other hand he held the hilt of a melted piece of slag that once was a katana. He saw Inuyasha standing in water, holding Tetsusaiga with a helplessly hurt expression. Nearby, a cluster of terrified humans huddled together, watching as the demon squeezed the life out of Akane Tendo. He could see it all and with a shock he realized the monster was him and there was no way back from insanity. He struggled, breaking past the spell that tried to keep him prisoner, filled him with uncomprehending pain. "No," he whispered, his eyes fading from angry red to their usual deep blue.

Akane was limp in his hand, her body long since given up a hopeless struggle. Her mouth hung open, her lips blue in her flushed face. She wasn't breathing, ribbons of blood painted her body from where his sharp claws had dug in, adorning the girl with a crimson beauty. It reminded him of something, a festival decoration maybe. Very slowly, he knelt, gently lying the limp form on the earth and brushing back her hair. He heard Inuyasha shouting to him, he heard Kagome crying out his name, but he didn't pay attention. He had done the unforgivable, it shattered him and Ranma felt his heart thud weakly in his chest, begging him for some other reality. It wasn't a dream, it was too real and he tenderly ran his awful clawed fingers over her cheekbone.

"Don't be dead," he murmured, his voice almost childlike. "You stupid fool, you damn dumb girl. You had to do something like that, you had to try to be brave and save me. I always told you to stay out of the way, you never listened. Did you ever listen to me, Akane? Did you hear me saying to butt out, stay out of my way, don't fight my fights. I was saying I love you in the only way I know how."

Stupid useless tears were running down his face now, it was too late to tell her anything. He didn't think he could go home like this, he didn't think he could take Akane home to her family and tell them that it was him, his hand that squeezed the life out of their daughter and sister. They'd despise him even if it wasn't all his fault. He'd been under a spell, hadn't he? Didn't know her from any other innocent human girl, didn't know she was special, beyond special to him. Carefully, he folded her hands over her chest and straightened her grubby shirt. Damn macho tomboy, always had to prove she was every bit as tough as him. It made him admire her, even when it infuriated him. She was always better than him, better in the ways that really counted. Akane cared about people, foil for his selfishness, his preoccupation with himself. Now it was too late for regrets.

Ranma stood, his eyes downcast and devastation tearing his heart out. He heard Kagome scream for him again and raised his hand to drop the barrier. Where did he learn how to do things like that? When did the knowledge and the control come so easily? He honestly didn't care. "You were right," he told Inutaisho, wondering if the youkai could hear him. "You were right, there are things you can't live with, things you can't take back or pretend didn't happen. I understand now, why Naota made you do it, why it was important. He just wanted to spare some poor bastard like me this kind of pain." He threw back his head and dropped his hands to his sides. "I'm ready when you are."

Inuyasha staggered, almost falling face first into the river. Tetsusaiga had sent a shockwave of raw power down him, making every nerve burn, every muscle twitch. "What the fuck," he muttered, clamping both hands down on the hilt as the blade started to vibrate and pulse wildly. "Oh shit, not again."

He planted his feet, snarling as he tried to keep the massive sword under control. It was useless, his feet were being dragged through the soft mud of the river bottom, he couldn't hold himself back, let alone fight Tetsusaiga's pull. He saw Kagome shouting, telling the villagers to make a run for it. Hell, he didn't know what was going on. The punk seemed to have woken up at last, a little too late for Akane, he thought grimly. Great timing as usual, now Tetsusaiga wanted to take him on, he could hear the fang burning for the young demon's blood.

And what did the punk do? He stood there waiting for it, not even having the brains to haul ass out of there before Tetsusaiga took what it wanted. Maybe he wanted it, maybe he couldn't help himself. Inuyasha shouted a warning, feeling his arms wrenched as Tetsusaiga pointed its tip to the sky, pulsing with power, radiating a burning white light. This didn't feel like Kaze no Kizu, it didn't feel like anything the sword had done before. He dreaded it, whatever force was about to be unleashed. "Ranma," he shouted. "Get the fuck out of the way!"

The blade came down, Inuyasha shrieked as his muscles were forced against their will and a blast of power erupted like an angry volcano. A fiery wave of pure white youki snapped out of the katana and struck like a lightning bolt to the center of Ranma's undefended chest. It took Ranma off his feet and sent his body flying like a rag doll, falling with a crash into the forest.

"Oh my god," Kagome cried from where she knelt beside Akane. "Inuyasha!"

He dragged himself up the riverbank, feeling like he'd just been beaten within an inch of his life. That much power hurt, goddamnit. He wanted to lay down and sleep for about a week after that, but instead he had to go and check on the punk. If he'd survived, even a strong demon like Ranma would have had a hard time living through that kind of blast. He'd be lucky to be in one piece, the hanyou thought grimly.

Ranma was in one piece, Inuyasha found him easily, the boy's body had been slammed deep into the ground. He looked like he'd been given one of Kagome's sits, the hanyou thought as he reached to shake him. "You alive?" he barked, hiding the fact that he very much hoped he was. It wasn't the kid's fault, it was Naraku's fault. Inuyasha had too much experience living with what he'd done and what had been done to him, but still he hoped Ranma was stronger. He turned the kid over and drew in a sharp hiss of surprise.

Ranma looked human, the facial markings were gone, the claws had vanished. Carefully, he opened the boy's mouth, just to assure himself that the fang had also disappeared. Inuyasha twitched, knowing a thing or two about such transformations. Once a month he did something like that himself, nothing was quite as unsettling as feeling your teeth change in your mouth, feeling your fingers throb when claws were retracted. Of course, the eerie sensation of having one's ears slide down the side of one's head as they changed shape was worse. And Ranma wasn't hanyou, his scent had been pure inuyoukai since he'd met the punk. Inuyasha sniffed, smelling nothing but human.

"I guess you got what you wanted," he murmured, feeling regretful. It was sad, both Ranma and Akane had tried so hard and he guessed it was good that they'd won, even if it had killed them both in the end.


	24. Chapter 24

When he'd felt the cold water hit his skin, Ryoga knew he'd have to move fast. Even as he tranformed, feeling his hands and feet become hooves, feeling his body shrink and contort, he'd kept running. He knew he was too late to get out of the way, the huge wave blasted out of the cold river from the fury of Inuyasha's strike hit him and Akane directly. But he'd started running the moment it has touched him because he knew what was coming, just like Ranma he too had the misfortune of visiting the Jusenkyo spring, although he liked to think he wouldn't have been so stupid as to have gotten himself cursed without Saotome's help. For all Ranma bitched and moaned about becoming a beautiful girl whenever he got wet, it was nothing compared to the kind of hell Ryoga endured. 

He was a pig.

Not just any pig, the cutest, most adorable little black piglet that had ever walked the earth. On the one hand, it wasn't so bad. Akane had adopted him as her pet, her P-chan, and that meant getting to stay close to the girl. And even, the pig blushed at his thoughts, sleeping her bed at night. It had some definite drawbacks though, like the fact that if Akane ever found out about P-chan's true identity, Ryoga would die a most painful death at her hands. That much he didn't doubt, at the very least she'd never speak to him again and Ryoga honestly found painful death to be a more acceptable fate.

At least he wasn't lost, P-chan thought with a grimace, his little piggy legs flying. There was a well worn path from the river to the village that even someone with his utter and complete lack of directional sense couldn't miss. If he put so much as one hoof off that path, well then he might just find himself wandering in the forest for hours on end. This time he had a plan, Ryoga never thought of himself as the brightest guy around but he wasn't completely stupid. As they'd run through the village on their way to confront Ranma, he'd noticed a large pot of water left simmering over a fire. You did tend to pay attention to things like that when the least touch of cold moisture made your body alter into another form.

And what the hell was wrong with Ranma? Ryoga swore to himself as he ran, desperate to get rid of the pig and get back to protecting his Akane. Something Very Very Bad had happened to the young martial artist for him to go insane like that and while Ryoga had a list of Very Very Bad things he wanted to see happen to Ranma Saotome, becoming a homicidal maniac wasn't one of them. The white haired guy seemed to think this was the work of demons. Ryoga didn't know a damn thing about demons, but he knew crazy when he saw it and Ranma fit into that category very nicely.

He'd reached the village now and gave an oink of relief to see the pot was right where he'd last seen it. Score one for the good guys. He didn't hesitate to jump right into the low, simmering pot of water, he'd gotten used to being scalded by now, the gods knew it happened frequently enough. He plunged in and stood straight up, screaming as his pig form disappeared and he now found himself naked and standing up to his knees in boiling water. Shit!

Hopping out and cursing inventively, that left him with one more task before returning to Akane. Clothes. He wasn't going back down there in front of those people wearing nothing but his skin and and a bandana on his head. Luckily, it seemed to have been washing day in the small village and there were several yukata spread out carefully to dry in the sun. He grabbed the biggest one he could find and tied it tightly around him. Dignitiy and modesty satisfied, the young man gave an almost feral growl as he headed back to the river. If Saotome had hurt anyone, he was going to personally rip his ears off. No, he didn't care if Ranma thought he was some badass of a demon now, it didn't matter. He'd taken him down in the past and he'd do it again, whatever it took. If he couldn't find a way to beat sense into Ranma's head, he was grabbing Akane and making a run for that well.

What he found when he got back to the river made his blood run cold in horror. The villagers were milling around in confusion, Akane was lying on the ground with some girl in a school uniform crying over her and Ranma was...gone?

"What happened?" he demanded as he dropped next the crying girl. Then his eyes widened in shock. Akane's face was so pale, her lips tinged with blue and a horrifying bruise had half formed around her throat. He reached for her limp hand and whispered her name. When she didn't respond, he grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard. "Akane!"

A hand touched his shoulder and he looked up to see a kind faced young man leaning over him. "I'm sorry," the monk said quietly.

Anger suddenly filled him. Akane couldn't be dead, not when he'd never even gotten to tell her how he felt! Ryoga refused to accept it and shoved the guy away. "She's not dead," he snarled.

Ryoga pushed the girl out of the way and went to look into Akane's face. Tenderly, he brushed her hair back from her face and slipped his hand under her neck to steady her head. "Akane," he murmured and pressed his lips against hers, exhaling into her mouth.

"Is he kissing the dead?" Sango murmured to Miroku, her eyes wide.

"He is struck by grief, Sango," the monk said sadly. Miroku raised his hand to make a blessing for Akane's soul. "It is so unfair for such a lovely girl to die so young."

Kagome watched as Ryoga kept trying to breathe for Akane. "Of course," she whispered, her eyes lighting in hope. "CPR, why didn't I think of it?" She crawled over to Akane and pressed on Akane's chest, counting as Ryoga leaned back from giving her a breath. "Don't forget to breathe for yourself," she reminded him. Oh gods, please. This has to work!

Ryoga had often dreamed of pressing his lips against those of Akane Tendo. Having finally accomplished his dream, he was heartsick at the circumstances. He couldn't give up on her, he couldn't let go. Stubborn love refused to let him accept that she was gone from him forever, stubborn love and a will that it not be so. "Akane, don't give up on me!"

He went to breathe for her again and this time he thougth her lips felt warmer. Could it be true? Briskly, he slapped the sides of her face, hating himself for striking her. "Akane," he said sternly. "You have to wake up."

She moaned suddenly, twitching and taking a deep breath. Kagome pulled her hands back, eyes wide. "She's alive," the girl cried joyously.

Sango knelt next to Kagome, hugging the girl's shoulders. "I've never seen anything like that, it was amazing, Kagome!"

Ryoga cradled Akane's head in his lap. "Can you hear me?" he asked gently.

Her eyes opened slowly, she looked dazed. "What happened to me?" she asked in a cracked voice. Her hand fluttered up to touch her bruised throat and she winced.

"Just rest," Ryoga answered, patting her head. Now that he knew she was going to live, he could treasure the memory of their lips touching. Our first kiss, the young man thought with a flush. The kiss of true love that restores life itself, the love that can't be defeated by death. The romance that..

"Are you okay?" the girl Kagome asked curiously. "Your face just turned bright red."

"I'm fine," Ryoga snapped, then his face softened as he looked at Akane. She was alive, resting in his lap and he couldn't ask for more. Except for one thing. "Did Ranma do this?" the young man asked in a soft, dangerous voice.

Kagome's shoulders slumped. "Yes," she answered, her voice low and sad.

Ryoga bit back a snarl. "Where is he? I swear I'm going to make him pay for hurting Akane!"

"You don't have to," another voice said sourly. They looked up to see Inuyasha standing on the riverbank, his arms tucked into his sleeves and his face looked tired. "He's dead, Kagome. Ranma is dead."

* * *

Night had fallen and the village had returned to a peaceful state. In Kaede's hut, Kagome tried to comfort a sobbing Akane. At her side were Miroku and Sango, offering what comfort they could by their presence. Ryoga stayed close too, miserable as he had to witness Akane's grief. Everything had gone wrong, everything they'd tried to do, to help Ranma had been undone by Naraku's malicious spell. Now there was nothing anyone could do. In the morning, Kagome, Akane and Inuyasha would have to take Ranma's body back to his family.

First Akane had cursed Ranma for being so stupid as to get himself killed, then she had exploded in denial that he was actually dead. She wouldn't accept it until Kagome and Inuyasha had taken her to see his body. Then the girl's reserve had crumbled and she'd collapsed in sobs of grief. Wordless, unable to comfort her, Inuyasha had just picked her up and brought her back to Kaede's hut, Kagome following silent and tear streaked behind him. The old priestess had soothed the girl, held her and rocked her like a baby before gently pressuring her into drinking a cup of tea. Inuyasha suspected it wasn't your ordinary dinner tea that was served but he kept his mouth shut as Akane soon relaxed and fell into a quiet slumber.

He'd gone outside then, knowing that Kagome would follow him. "Inuyasha," she said quietly, wiping at her red eyes.

The hanyou shook his head. "I know, Kagome. I'm sorry too."

"It wasn't your fault," the girl told him, reaching for his hand. Whatever fear or anger she'd been harboring for him had seemed to disappear, her fingers curled warm around his. "Don't blame yourself," she whispered.

"I don't," he snapped. He did actually, he blamed himself for not being able to hold Tetsusaiga back when it had attacked. The surge of power had felt unlike anything he'd ever experienced, unlike anything he'd ever summoned from the sword himself. Even inRanma's transformed state, Inuyasha hadn't wanted to kill the other youkai. It wasn't the punk's fault he went crazy, it was Naraku's. Just one more crime in a growing list of evil that needed to be answered for.

Kagome's hand moved up to grip his sleeve. "Nobody blames you," she began, seeing the closed and angry expression deepening on his face.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Nobody blames me, but it was still me that killed him."

"The Tetsusaiga," she said quietly.

He cut her off, turning around looking down into her eyes. "If it wasn't me, it wasn't anyone," he said. "I'm gonna go watch over his body. I...I don't want anything to bother him tonight."

And that's how he found himself sitting up at night with the company of a corpse. Ranma's body lay still and quiet in the moonlight, his skin cold and pale against the dark grass. Inuyasha crouched nearby, his arms resting on his knees and an unusually thoughtful look on his face. "You sure were a lot of trouble," he muttered, picking at his claws.

"I'm still sorry you died," he said gruffly, feeling somehow compelled to talk since it was just the two of them. "Naraku is a bastard. Akane's right, if he wasn't coming after me, he never would have gotten his claws into you."

And that made him feel guilty, however much he tried to deny it, nobody else had killed Ranma. It was him. He wasn't strong enough to fight the Tetsusaiga, hold back that awful wave of power that had claimed Ranma's life. Funny, he'd seemed to be coming out of it when the sword took him, he'd looked like he knew what he was doing. Inuyasha scowled. Ranma maybe wouldn't have wanted to live after what he'd done.

"I know what you were going through," he said at last, watching the sky as the stars twinkled unconcerned. "I know what it felt like, punk. To have no control over what ya did, wake up finding out that you'd done stuff you never would have done in your right mind. I don't even remember what happened, but if the way you were acting is any clue, I don't wanna remember it. I've done enough shit when I knew what I was doing."

His golden eyes glittered in the darkness as he stood and walked silently over to the corpse. Weird how he'd become human in death, the hanyou thought, one claw reaching absently out to touch the boy's shoulder. "I hope you found peace," he murmured softly.

"Such sentiment will be your downfall, brother," a cool voice sneered. Inuyasha looked up to see Sesshomaru appearing out of the darkness like an ancient ghost. Inuyasha stood, glaring at him. His older brother's face was cold with contempt.

"What are you here for?" Inuyasha asked, matching his brother's expression of hatred. "Are you disappointed you didn't get to kill him yourself?"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, moving smoothly over to stand at his brother's side. "Yes."

"You're such a bastard," Inuyasha hissed. "That's the only thing you can think of, right? Revenge and death."

"I am youkai," Sesshomaru answered in his inflectionless tone. "What else is there?"

The two brothers stared at each other over Ranma's body, mutual contempt thick between them, making the air crackle with hatred. Finally, Sesshomaru smiled faintly, catching the scent of Ranma's death. "You killed him yourself, brother."

Inuyasha flinched involuntarily. He wondered how Sesshomaru always knew such things, it wasn't right for him to have all the answers. "Yeah," he said at last. "Stupid fucking sword took him, I don't know why."

"And you still doubt your unworthiness to wield our father's heirloom?" Sesshomaru inquired. When Inuyasha refused to answer, his brother made a soft hiss of annoyance. "Better the Tetsusaiga should be destroyed than in the hands of an incompetent fool such as yourself."

"Shut up," Inuyasha answered harshly, his fists clenching. He ached to attack his brother, wipe that superior smirk of his face. "He was a snotty little punk but he didn't deserve to die like this."

Sesshomaru looked bored. "Your compassion will be your undoing, Inuyasha. And is useless. If you had not slain this demon, I would have done so myself."

The hanyou snorted. "Guess Naota never caught up with ya, huh?"

The last thing he'd ever have expected was for Sesshomaru to show any emotion. His brother turned on him, moving like a flash of lightning when he seized his younger brother by the front of his clothing and snarled into his face. "Where did you hear that name?"

Inuyasha shoved him away, breaking the youkai's grip with relative ease. "From his own fucking mouth, you asshole," he snapped. "This punk is his grandson or something like that. You got all the answers, how come you don't know that?"

"Naota was here?" Sesshomaru's already quiet voice was almost inaudible, a strange and reflective expression on his face. "You are certain it was he?"

Inuyasha gave a snort of disgust. "Not here, idiot. In the Western lands. He said he was going to stop you from killing Ranma if he could." The hanyou frowned and looked over his shoulder at his brother. "Would you have stopped?"

"No." Sesshomaru's voice was like ice. "Naota is dead to me, his words are dead to me. If he begged me to restore this creature's life, I would not."

Scowling, Inuyasha looked at the ground. He knew that Sesshomaru's Tenseiga could revive the dead, he also knew that he'd burn out his own tongue before he begged a favor like that from his brother. Sesshomaru knew it too and did not comment. Finally, Inuyasha sighed and looked at his older brother. "Is he really our cousin?"

The youkai didn't move, didn't meet his eyes, instead staring down at the dead Ranma like he expected answers to rise from the corpse. "Naota is hanyou, worse than hanyou. He has denied his demon heritage, such as it is. And he has betrayed me in the past, I do not claim relation to an outcast such as Naota."

"Figures," Inuyasha sneered. He leaned down over Ranma, looking into the dead boy's face. Catching sight of the pendant, he reached for it and lifted the thin chain. "Looks like this didn't do ya a hell of a lot of good. That old woman must have been more senile than I thought."

"Old woman?" In spite of himself, Sesshomaru sounded curious. "What old woman do you speak of?"

Inuyasha looked up. "Just an old hill witch in the Western mountains," he answered. He lifted the pendant so the moonlight fell upon it and made it sparkle. "This is what she gave him, told us it would help seal his demon blood."

Sesshomaru leaned over him, his sleeve brushing his brother's shoulder as he reached for the tiny crystal. "No," he breathed, his eyes going wide. "This should not be."

"You recognize it?" Inuyasha asked, startled.

His brother snatched the chain from his fingers and gave a hard yank, breaking it. Sesshomaru straightened, holding the pendant up so he could examine it closely. "By the gods of hell itself," he breathed, fascinated. A poisonous object, hatred and malice given a physical form. He was one of the very few who had no need to fear of its magic. Why should he, when it had been crafted by his own mother's hand?

"What is it?" his unbelievably stupid brother had to ask. Sesshomaru shook his head, all the stories told to him by his father were running in his head, every last detail of his mother's death, her clan's destruction and the betrayal of a demon lord's beloved brother. And one more thing, an act of mercy by his father that he had questioned in his own mind, although he had never met the old woman himself.

Silently, not answering his brother's question, he looked down at the dead young man. It was not compassion or pity that stirred his heart, rather an oblique sense of duty to his father. If Inutaisho had known that this pendant survived the destruction of the Azaryu clan, he never would have stopped until he'd hunted it down and destroyed it. Ironic that such a treacherous piece of youkai magic had found its way to one of his uncle's descendants. Inutaisho would not have been pleased.

Inuyasha stared as his brother drew the Tenseiga, holding the glimmering blade aloft for a moment before bringing it down in a sweeping movement. Power ran from the blade's surface like water over ice, catching the slight glow of the full moon and lighting the small glade. Inuyasha felt the hair stand up on his scalp from the echo of the katana's magic. Not for the first time, he wondered about it. Why had his father placed something like that in the hands of his brother? Why, for that matter, could a cold hearted bastard like Sesshomaru even use it?

Ranma gasped, suddenly alive again and disoriented as all hell. He stared up at an implacable and cold demon's face, watching as a sword was sheathed. "What happened?" he whispered.

The demon didn't answer, just turned away with a sweep of long white hair. Ranma sat up, feeling a bit nauseous, but otherwise just fine. He rubbed his face and tried to remember what happened to him. Something felt different. He looked at his hands and wondered again when he saw that they were normal, human looking fingers. "My claws are gone," he whispered.

A hard hand grabbed his shoulder, but the grasp turned gentle and Inuyasha helped the dazed young man to his feet. "It's a long story, punk," he said, his voice quiet and dark. "I don't understand it all myself, but right now it doesn't matter."

"It doesn't?" Ranma asked. He still felt wobbly and his feet didn't seem to know how to move. He leaned gratefully on the hanyou's shoulder, letting Inuyasha guide his steps back to the village. "I feel like shit, I had a terrible dream that I died."

Inuyasha grinned in spite of himself. "You look like shit too," he said cheerfully, holding on to Ranma's arm so the young martial artist wouldn't fall over on his face. "Don't worry about it, they're gonna be happy to see your ugly face no matter how it looks. Especially Akane."

"Did something happen to me?" Ranma demanded, reaching up to rub his head. It hurt like nothing he'd ever felt before. "I don't remember anything, did I do something stupid?"

"No stupider than usual," Inuyasha grunted. "You're a real pain in the ass, you know that Ranma? Must be a family trait or something."

"Family trait?" Ranma asked, beginning to be irritated. "What do you mean by that, asshole?"

Inuyasha grinned at his cousin. "You ain't gonna believe it."

**A/N: Okay, okay. I know I said this was going to be the last chapter, but there's one more. It will be on it's way very soon. Please review!!!**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Yep, this is it. The last chapter. I always get butterflies when finishing a story. This is actually the one that started me writing in the first place. I read an unfinished Ranma/Inuyasha crossover, first fanfic I ever read(it hasn't updated in overthree years) and the idea wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote one of my own. And from writing this story, came the Daimyo stories, and from the Daimyo stories came Youkai and the Exterminator. **

**Must thank everyone who left such kind and encouraging reviews, especially Kittyonnails for her patient persistence in wanting this story finished and Maxv for the amazing job of translating this into Russian and Riosaku for translating it into Spanish. You guys rock. Nuff said.**

* * *

"I wasn't dead!"

"You were too dead!"

"Then how come I'm sitting here talking to you right now?"

Akane folded her arms and fumed silently. Her eyes were still swollen and red from crying. She didn't want to think about it anymore and if Ranma and Ryoga didn't stop their stupid arguing, she was going to scream. She'd almost had a heart attack when she'd woken on the floor of Kaede's hut and looked up to see Ranma grinning at her. He looked absolutely normal, perfectly healthy, and every bit as infuriatingly stubborn as ever. It had taken her a good hour to stop crying from sheer shock and joy that he was back from the dead.

Inuyasha had just shrugged and said a single word of explanation. Sesshomaru. Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo had all said "Ahhhh," as if that was all they needed to believe a person could come back to life and not show any sign of their former status as a corpse. Now Ranma sat on the floor and shoveled food in his mouth as fast as he could, complaining that he felt like he hadn't eaten in days.

"You don't remember being dead?" Ryoga asked doubtfully. It seemed that Saotome was so very dense that even what should have been an earthshaking experience didn't make an impact.

"I don't remember anything," Ranma answered around a mouthful of rice. God, he couldn't believe how hungry he was. It was the truth, he remembered going to see the old woman in the mountains, he remembered getting some kind of weird crystal pendant from her. After that, things got a bit fuzzy.

On the upside, he'd finally gotten a piece of luck. Whether or not he'd really been dead, and Ranma personally doubted it, he'd woken up to find that his demon blood had subsided. He looked like himself again and best of all, he felt like himself too. Guess he wasn't as cursed as he'd thought he was.

"I can't believe I wasted time feeling sorry about you being dead," Ryoga snarled. "If I'd known you'd wake up and be just as much of an asshole as ever, I wouldn't have bothered."

"Who you calling asshole, pigboy?" Ranma spluttered. "I didn't ask you to come here in the first place!"

"Shut up!" Akane shouted. "I'm sick of hearing about Ranma being dead, I just want to forget it ever happened."

Ranma snorted and started shoveling food in his mouth again. "Whatever. I've already forgotten it. I don't remember a damn thing."

Shippo bounced onto his shoulder and stared hard at him. "You really don't remember turning into an evil crazy demon? You don't remember attacking us and the village? You don't remember that you killed Ak..."

Inuyasha moved swiftly and swatted Shippo into the wall. "You talk too much, Shippo," he growled. "If the punk doesn't remember maybe you should just shut your hole."

"Kagome!" The kitsune bounded into her lap and sniffled against her shirt. "Why is he being mean to me? I didn't do anything to him!"

"Inuyasha is right," the girl said quietly. Shippo looked up at her and saw the serious look in her eyes. "If Ranma doesn't remember what he did, maybe that's for the best."

Silence reigned in the small hut and Kaede went about fixing more rice. Human or demon, Ranma could eat like no other. Kagome had quietly mentioned that she would be bringing more supplies when she went home and Kaede was grateful. The village was too poor to support the feeding of so many newcomers.

A light rain had begun to fall almost as soon as Inuyasha and Ranma had returned. Kagome wasn't entirely surprised that Ranma had no memories of the evil things he had done and she sincerely hoped that it was going to stay that way. If he and Inuyasha couldn't remember the atrocities that they had committed, so much the better. There was a lot she herself wanted to forget. She looked up and met Inuyasha's gaze, only to have his eyes slide away from hers as if he also was hoping to deny what had happened.

Ranma belched and sighed. After eating, he felt much better and leaned back in contentment. Honestly, did they think he was really dead? He had sure never felt better, and now that he wasn't starving, he was looking forward to a nice sleep before heading home in the morning. This had been one misadventure after another.

He yawned and stretched. "Okay. I'm gonna be glad to get home after this mess. Right now I don't care if I ever remember what really happened. I'd like to forget everything that happened on this stupid trip."

Akane stared at him. "Everything?" she asked softly.

Ranma grinned. "Yeah, as far as I'm concerned I'm gonna pretend like I never even turned into a demon."

Now what had he said? Akane's face flushed bright red and her lips started to tremble. "You don't want to remember anything at all?"

"No. Why would I?"

Akane jumped to her feet, tears starting to sparkle in her eyes. "That's fine with me," she shouted. "I wish I could forget everything too! Don't worry, I'm never going to talk about this again!"

She spun around and dashed out the door into the rain. Ranma's mouth dropped open in surprise. Crazy girl, what was her problem now? All he said was that he wanted to forget everything that happened. Suddenly it came to him, the two of them together in the darkness of the forest, a tide of demon blood and the scent of her hair. His face turned pale and he suddenly knew what she'd been thinking of.

"Uh, I gotta go after her," he muttered, climbing to his feet and heading for the door. He really was a stupid ass. Ryoga was right, he didn't deserve someone like Akane in the first place.

Ryoga started to follow him as Ranma went outside, but Kagome reached for his arm. "No," she said, her eyes shining. "Let them go."

He plopped back down. He couldn't have gone after Akane anyway. It was raining. Ryoga sighed and propped his chin in his hand. "Stupid Saotome," he muttered.

Akane didn't go far, she had too much sense to venture deep into the forest at night, but she couldn't stay in the hut. Not with Ranma wanting to deny everything that had happened between them. She couldn't blame him for not wanting to know about the terrible things that had happened, she could understand why he wanted to forget about becoming a demon. But he wanted to forget everything and she couldn't ever forget about how they'd kissed each other with so much passion. It wasn't fair, he was such a stupid jerk. Nothing had changed between them and it was obvious that Ranma was fine with that.

"Akane!"

She turned when she heard her name, water streaming down her face and mixing with her tears. "Just leave me alone!" she shouted, pushing her wet hair out of her eyes. Akane kept walking until she was beyond the edge of the village and the trees were between her and the soft lights of the villagers' cooking fires. It was a little chilly, out here and wet in the rain, but it was better than facing him.

"Hey, Akane," Ranma called. "Please don't run away, I didn't mean it."

Oh, now he was going to say he didn't mean it. Like he always did, as if her feelings were something she could turn off and on like a light. Akane hid behind a tree. She didn't want him to know that she was crying over it.

Ranma followed her anyway, stopping on the other side of the tree. "I'm an ass."

"No argument there," Akane snapped.

"I didn't mean that I wanted to forget everything."

She smiled bitterly. "That's what you said, Ranma. I heard you. You want to forget it, that's fine. It's probably for the best anyway."

Ranma stopped, hearing the pain and humiliation in her voice. "I'm so sorry, Akane. I didn't mean that I wanted to forget what happened between us."

She peeked around the tree. "It's okay if you do," she breathed. "I...I know you weren't yourself. You had all these demon feelings and instincts going on inside you."

"No, Akane. It wasn't the demon that made me feel like that. It was you. I know I'm dense and stupid and too stubborn for my own good. What I do remember is that you stuck by me through this, just like you've always stuck by me through everything."

"Ranma." Akane came around the tree and faced her fiance. Wet red hair was streaming down Ranma's face and regret was vivid in the young martial artist's eyes. "I don't know how to say I'm sorry, but I am. I don't know why you've ever put up with me, why you've always been my friend. All I do is get you into trouble and this time...I think it almost cost you your life."

"I'm alive," she said simply. "So are you. That's enough for now."

"No, it's not," Ranma said fiercely, taking the girl by her shoulders. "I always say the wrong thing, Akane. I always hurt your feelings and I know I'm a fool. But I don't want to forget the way you make me feel, the way you've always made me feel. You're the truest friend I've ever had and the only one who believes in me sometimes."

"What are you saying?" Akane whispered, slipping her arms around Ranma's waist and pressing herself closer. She needed to hear it, needed to hear the words.

"I'm saying that I love you, Akane Tendo," Ranma whispered. "I know we're already supposed to be engaged but...will you marry me?"

"Of course I'll marry you, Ranma Saotome," she breathed. Her arms went around Ranma's neck as their lips drew closer. "You're the only one for me."

Ranma held Akane tightly, kissing her lips, her face, her neck. Hands drifting over her body in a long slow caress that she eagerly answered. Moist lips parted, tongues darted in exploration and this time Akane didn't have to be wary of fangs. Ranma pressed her gently against the tree, taking the time to enjoy the taste of her, the softness and spice that was Akane. Together, they sank into the wet grass, heedless of the light rain as warm bodies pressed together in delicious agreement.

Akane lay on top of Ranma, whispering as her fiance's hands roamed over her body. Together, they were at last truly together. As she'd always dreamed. Well, not exactly as she'd always dreamed but it was enough for the moment and Akane gasped as her fiance's soft lips found the tip of her breast and she arched against the wandering, exploring hands. Her body was crying out, singing for the person she loved with all her heart and Akane found she didn't mind the rain at all.

Two pairs of eyes watched as the young couple held each other passionately in the soft, wet grass. One pair was violet, the other gold and the monk sighed in pure contentment at the beautiful sight before him.

"I think I've waited my whole life to see something like this. If the wind tunnel were to take my life at this moment, I would die a happy man."

Inuyasha snorted, blushing as he looked away. "Hentai monk, let's give them some privacy."

* * *

Asariko moved slowly to tend her fire. It was getting colder, winter came early for those who made their homes in the mountains. It seemed like every year the cold was a little more bitter, her body ached a little more fiercely. She was youkai, if she had not been so badly damaged as a young girl she might have kept her health and her vigor for many years. As it was, she was hardly better than a human and an elderly one at that.

For all her body was scarred and aged, withered and pained, her memories remained sharp. She still remembered her father, her people and her beloved sister, Seshiko. She made sure to keep her memories alive with her anger and her bitter, unrelenting hatred. Her body creaked as she knelt before her fire and tried to warm her withered hands. It was still so very long ago.

He'd come like darkness and death from the borders of their territory, his armies laying waste to everything within sight. She'd been just a girl, hardly more than a child but that wasn't what had saved her. The demon lord that had destroyed her clan had killed women and children alike. His vengeance was purposeful and absolute. The Azaryu were to be exterminated, eradicated from the earth for the treachery that had been committed against their Daimyo.

One frail hand went to touch her face, feeling the old scars that covered most of her body in a map of anger and despair. Once she had been beautiful, as lovely as the dawn, a nearly perfect copy of her sister who had been reputed to be one of the most beautiful demonesses ever born. Asariko had never considered herself to be her sister's match. For all they were alike in coloring and shape, she had been timid where Seshiko had been fierce. She had been the one to cling to her mother's side, hide her face against her leg when others came near.

Seshiko had been bold from the moment she had been born. A true warrior, she had been close to their father, Kashikoto, and he often loudly remarked that sons were overrated if he could produce a daughter like Seshiko. Skilled in battle, leading men into war with the confidence of a demon prince, her sister had also been a powerful sorceress. She used her youki to make talismans of pure hatred and malice, things that could twist the minds and hearts of the strongest demons.

That was where she'd gotten the amulet. It had been used once before, used to twist the heart of the half breed brother of a powerful demon lord. Just before her people had been attacked, Inoki had returned the amulet to her father. She often wondered if he'd known it was her sister's spell that had distorted his mind, turned love to hatred and made him betray his beloved brother. She found out many years later that Inoki had not only betrayed his brother, he had slaughtered his family in a rage. His wife and children had born the final brunt of Seshiko's malice and Kashikoto's treachery.

And like a wild storm out of the West, like an avenging horror, the dark demon lord had come to punish his wife's people for the loss of his brother and family. In that respect, Asariko couldn't find it in her heart to resent Inutaisho. She would have done the same in his place.

Was she couldn't forgive was that she had been left alive, spared by a furious lord for no other reason than she looked like her sister. When her father's men had been defeated, and the slaughter had been almost complete, Asariko had been discovered cowering in the deepest caves of their homes. One of Inutaisho's men had recognized her for her resemblence to her sister and taken her by the hair, dragging the girl kicking and screaming to be thrown at the feet of the conquering lord.

Asariko still had nightmares about that moment, huddling afraid on the ground at his feet, looking up at the man her sister had been forced to marry. He was as beautiful as the rumors said, with snow white hair and eyes like the sun. A huge, impossibly huge, blade had been leveled at her and she stared up at him, seeing no regret, no pity in those cold eyes of gold. It would only be moments before her head was freed from her body, she decided and resigned herself to her fate.

Then Inutaisho had paused, looked down the blade of the Tetsusaiga at her and the rage seemed to dim slightly. "You are her sister," he murmured. "You remind me of her."

"I am Asariko," she whispered fearfully.

He smiled bitterly and sheathed the great sword. Asariko stared up at him. "Go," he said, turning away.

"My lord?" The soldier who'd found her frowned at his lord. "Are you sure?"

"I am sure, Ari," the great lord said. "I think enough blood has been shed to slake my thirst for revenge. If I kill her now, I will see her face in my dreams. She looks too much like her sister."

Asariko couldn't move, her legs were frozen and a rough hand took her arm and helped to her feet. For all the hand was rough, there was no cruelty in the soldier's actions. "Run, girl," he whispered, his dark hair brushing her nose as he leaned close to her ear. "Run before he changes his mind."

She had run for her life, stumbling down the mountainside as the army moved off. That's when it had happened. Maybe she hadn't run fast enough or far enough, maybe she was just unlucky. But Inutaisho had destroyed the former seat of the Azaryu clan with a huge burst of youki and shattered the mountain in his rage.

Asariko had been caught in the backlash, pure youki fire had raged over her body as she tumbled down with a landslide. Her skin was burned horribly, her limbs shattered and her body broken. If she'd only been a human, she would have died instantly. Instead her youkai heart kept beating, kept her alive in spite of the agony, trapped for days in piles of rock and screaming for death to come and claim her.

Eventually, the rock had shifted and she'd managed to crawl away. Only thinking of finding a way to die, she'd crept into the nearest forest and laid down, hoping that the end would be swift now that her strength was exhausted. She didn't want to survive.

She wished Inutaisho had killed her. Like he'd killed her father. Like he'd killed her sister.

Ironically, it was humans that had saved her. Not recognizing her as a demon, they'd thought she was simply a mortal girl and taken her to a village. There they'd treated her wounds and murmured that she'd survived at all. Asariko never told them what she really was, letting them think she was a human and made her home with them until the day when they realized that she was outliving everyone else. It had been a peaceful life, but that peace had shattered and Asariko sought the isolation of the mountains.

So it had been for nearly a century. Sometimes humans came to see her, an old witch that lived alone and knew things about demons. Once even demon slayers had come to find her and she had taught them the ways of making poisons that would work against youkai blood. Asariko despised demons, even being one herself, she despised them. They were all vicious and power hungry, violent and sadistic.

They were all Inutaisho to her.

So when Naraku had appeared and offered her revenge against Inutaisho's descendants, his brother's descendants, she had taken to his offer. She did not care how it served the strange demon, only that the dog lord's sons would suffer. It was the only revenge she'd ever have for her father, for her sister. For herself.

But there was one son of Inutaisho she had no desire for revenge against. He was also the son of her beloved Seshiko and the old woman wasn't entirely surprised when she looked up and saw him standing in her home.

The resemblence was startling and eerie. He looked like a mixture, a blend of the very best of his parents. He had his father's coloring, his mother's markings. His silky hair reminded her of Seshiko, but the cold remote expression still chilled her. That was how Inutaisho looked when he'd spared her life and Asariko sighed as memories washed over her in a tidal wave of fury, despair, and even love. For she know faced the only remaining member of the Azaryu clan and the culmination of her father's plots and plans that had so devastated everything he'd held dear.

Her nephew was her only living relation. He'd known of her existence she was sure and he had never sought her out.

"Old woman," he said, his voice as chill as the grave. "You have been meddling in affairs that are not your concern."

Asariko nodded. "I have, nephew," she answered. "Have you come to claim vengeance for your half blood relations?"

"Those fools," he sneered softly. "Fools to take a talisman from one such as yourself. Fools to be so trusting of an unknown, too eager to think of the consequences. My younger brother is not one for thinking."

"He was suspicious," Asariko murmured, staring into her fire. "The other was less hesitant, too eager to have a cure for his 'curse' as he called it. I hope you've come to tell me they've both found their graves."

Sesshomaru smiled faintly. "One did, but out of respect for what my father would have wished I restored his life. Your vengeance was futile, old woman."

So she had failed. Asariko found that she had no taste for revenge after all these years, just as she no longer had taste for food or life. They should have come to me when I was younger, she mused. I was better able to hold my hatred then.

The demon lord held out his hand, a pendant dangling from his fingers. "My mother made this, did she not?"

Asariko nodded. "Yes. It was meant to destroy your father, but instead she turned it on his brother. She bought his destruction and her own with her betrayal, just as my father bought the death of his clan."

"And you have not forgiven," Sesshomaru said quietly. "I would not have forgiven under such circumstances."

"You are Azaryu," she said. "We are born knowing how to taste revenge and how to hold it in our mouths for years while waiting for the moment."

He smiled again, such a soft and wistful smile. She wondered where he'd gotten such an expression, rarely used and horded like a miser hordes gold. It was not her sister's smile and she had a feeling it didn't belong to Inutaisho. It was all his own and it brought winter's chill into her small hovel of a home.

"Have you come to kill me, nephew?" she asked. Her death was something she eagerly awaited, having been denied so long ago. She held her breath with anticipation of his reply.

"Yes."

The old woman sighed with relief. "Good. This is as it should be. Tell me only one thing, Sesshomaru, son of my sister. Why did your father spare me so many years ago? Why didn't he let me die at his hand like the rest of our people?"

He'd wondered about that himself and finally shrugged lightly. "He may have thought he was being merciful, it may have been pity. My father," his voice had a slight sneer, "liked to think of himself as compassionate, as generous with his mercy. In truth, he was neither and it was his sentiment that cost him his life."

Sesshomaru moved closer until he was standing over the aged female. "Or it might have been that he knew in leaving one survivor of the Azaryu clan, there was a chance for you to claim revenge for what he did. Your attempt...would have amused him greatly. My father had a taste for irony."

With those final words he raised his hand and sent a pulse of power at her, watching with no expression as the old woman's body dissolved under the corrosive nature of his youki. When there was nothing left of her, not even ash, he lowered his hand again. At long last, Inutaisho's sentence on the Azaryu was complete. It was time to leave.

"Killing old women now, cousin?"

A voice he hadn't heard in the better part of a century made him scowl. Asariko was right, those with Azaryu blood were exceptional about holding a grudge. Sesshomaru turned slowly, his eyes full of anger. "Naota. I would have thought you'd have better sense than to venture into the West again. I've already destroyed one blood relation today, do not make it two."

Naota smiled, a faint gleam in his eyes. "I don't remember you having such self restraint. A mark of maturity, cousin."

"Do not mock me," Sesshomaru hissed, his eyes flashing with fury. "I have not forgotten your betrayal, Naota. Consider it out of respect for my father that I've never hunted you down and made you suffer as you deserve."

"I would have welcomed it," Naota said softly. He tilted his head to the side and looked at his cousin with the same dark eyes Sesshomaru remembered from childhood. There had been mischief in his expression back then, it seemed to have aged away to be replaced by bitter humor. "Your hatred for me is justified."

"I don't need you to tell me that," Sesshomaru hissed. Old anger was seething inside him, it was taking much of his self control to keep his voice level and his rage in check.

"I made a mistake in not being honest with you," Naota said.

Sesshomaru's lip curled in contempt. "I care nothing for your honesty. Your betrayal sent the West into a civil war that could have been avoided. Because of your mistake, I had to take my territory back piece by bloody piece. You are a bastard of a coward, Naota. Better that you had never survived the slaughter that destroyed your family than to have lived to disgrace our bloodline."

Naota sighed and leaned against the wall. "I've had a lot to live with over the years," he said, his voice soft and cool. "But I don't regret my decision."

"See to it that I don't regret mine in letting you continue to live," Sesshomaru snarled, sweeping out the door with an angry swirl of silk and fur. "Don't ever show your face in this territory again. The next time we meet, I will kill you. I swear it by my father's grave."

Naota stood for a few moments after his cousin departed, mulling over the conversation. Sesshomaru was still the same haughty bastard he remembered, that much hadn't changed. A wry smile twisted his face as he headed outside, staring up at the starlit sky.

"Good to see you again, cousin. I have missed you as well."

* * *

Kagome grunted, climbing up the side of the well with a massive backpack. Maybe she overdid it a little on the supplies. But it would be worth it. She had bought plenty of extra rice to pay Kaede back for her generosity. In addition, she had a ton of candy for Shippo and the village children, tasty snacks for Sango and Miroku, and a full supply of ramen for Inuyasha. Her friends deserved the treats and Kagome liked being able to splurge on delicacies that no one in the feudal era would otherwise experience.

After returning, she'd given Ranma and Akane both affectionate hugs to say what couldn't be said with words. Ryoga had blushed furiously when she'd hugged him too, after all, without him they might not have Akane. She still wasn't sure who the young man reminded her of, but he'd grinned shyly at her hug as if he wasn't sure how to respond.

Kagome had to smile to herself, thinking of the way Ranma and Akane had left, walking hand and hand instead of bickering. Something good had come out of this, but she didn't miss the wistful look that Ryoga gave the couple. She hoped everything would work out well for her friends.

She was almost to the top of the well, panting hard from the sheer exertion of climbing, when she suddenly felt herself lifted into the air by the straps over her shoulders. She looked up as her feet dangled in the air and met Inuyasha's gaze when he gently deposited her on the ground.

"About time you decided to come back," he said gruffly.

She smiled. "I told you I would be a week. You wouldn't believe how much homework I have to do. My teachers decided to load me up for being gone all that time."

He snorted at the mention of her schoolwork, not understanding why she bothered; he never did. Kagome stared at him. "You got your haori back," she burst out.

Inuyasha made a rude sound. "You think I'd let Naraku keep my clothes?" he asked sarcastically.

That made her grin. "How did you get them back?" she wanted to know. Inuyasha slung her backpack over his shoulder as they headed for the village.

"I went to where his castle was," he confessed. "I wasn't really after my clothes, but that's what I found. The buildings were gone, but I guess the miasma doesn't eat firerat fur and he didn't want to keep them."

Kagome stopped, staring at him. "How did you know where his castle was," she asked softly. Inuyasha didn't look at her, avoiding her eyes.

"I remembered."

"What else did you remember?" She dreaded the answer, she didn't want to deal with this. It was too soon, somehow she'd managed to accept it and wanted to move on. It hadn't been Inuyasha that had hurt her, she knew that. He hadn't been in his right mind, the spell that had captured Ranma had distorted his mind and Naraku had blocked his memory. There was no way she could hold him guilty of what he had no control over.

Inuyasha sighed heavily, still staring at the ground as he set her backpack down and slowly turned to face her. "I remember everything. Everything I did, everything I said."

"It wasn't you," she said fiercely. "Inuyasha, don't..."

"It makes me sick what I did to you," he hissed, his eyes glinting dangerously. Unconsciously, she took a step backwards from his tone and saw a flicker of pain in his eyes.

"I don't blame you for being scared of me."

"I'm not," she burst out. "I know you, Inuyasha. You would never have done those things if you'd been in your right mind."

"Doesn't change the fact I did them," he answered, flushing with shame. "Kagome, I can't ask you to forgive me. I don't think I can even forgive myself."

She closed her eyes at the pain in his voice. This was what she'd been afraid of, his memory returning and him not being able to get past it. "Please don't do this to yourself," she begged. "It happened, we can't change that. I still trust you."

Kagome opened her eyes when she heard a strange sound, like small beads clicking together. Inuyasha stood before her, his eyes dark and troubled as he held up the rosary. She was surprised to see it. Naraku must have left it behind with the firerat clothing, not understanding that it was significant. That rosary defined their relationship in so many ways. For all that they'd been through, it was a symbol of how much he had changed since she'd first met him, a wild half demon who cared nothing for anyone, cared for nothing at all but his own selfishness.

She gasped as Inuyasha looked fierce again and before she could stop him, he'd pulled the beads over his head. They glowed brightly for a second, then subsided as if they'd accepted their renewed purpose. "Inuyasha," she breathed.

"You can say you trust me," he said in a voice tight with pain and self loathing. "You're like that, Kagome. You trust, you forgive. I'm not like that, I'm...I'm not like you. I can't just pretend it didn't happen. I know better, I know what I am. I can't trust myself, not if it puts you in danger."

He turned away and Kagome choked back a sob. She darted forward and grabbed his hand, squeezing it as hard as she could with both of hers until he met her eyes. He blushed furiously when he saw the warmth in her gaze.

"I do trust you," she said, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Until you can learn to trust yourself, I'll trust for the both of us."

Then she pulled him along the path, heading for the village and their friends. Hand and hand, the hanyou and the girl from the future walked together and Inuyasha felt his heart lighten. Her small hand was warm in his and he smiled faintly as the sun teased highlights from her hair and a gentle wind whispered through the peaceful forest trees.

The End

**A/N: Well, that's it. That's the end of Cursed. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please review and let me know what you thought about it. Thanks!**


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